2017-2018 Student & Parent Handbook

Home of the Sabrecats

2017-2018 STUDENT & PARENT HANDBOOK

4515 East Muirwood Drive Phoenix, Arizona 85048 www.summitschoolaz.org Phone: 480.403.9500 Fax: 480.403.9599

CONTENTS

Introduction 4-5 Welcome 4 Summit School Mission Statement 4 Summit School Vision Statement 4 Strategic Goals 4-5

Board of Trustees 5

Admissions 5-9 Special Needs Admissions Statement 5 Age Requirements 6 Registration Procedures 7 Student Placement 7 Tuition and Fees: Preschool through 8th Grade 7-9

General Policies and Procedures 9-19 School Hours 9 Students Arriving Late to School 10 Excessive Absences and Tardiness 10 Vacation 10 Notifying the School of Absences 10 Signing In & Signing Out 10 Drop-Off & Pick-Up 10-11 Extended Day Care 11 Babysitting By Summit Staff or Faculty 11 Persons Designated to Pick-Up Students in Case of Emergencies 11 Communicating in Cases of Divorce or Separation 11 Appointments 12 Visitors 12 Home & School Communication 12 Parent/Guardian Visits 12 Parent/Guardian Volunteers 12 Emergency Guidelines for Parent Volunteers 12-13 School Pictures/Yearbook 13 Outdoor Recess 13 Meals 14 General Food Guidelines for All Grade-Levels & School Areas 14 Class Parties and Special Treats 14 Student Pictures and Social Media 14-15 Field Trips 15 Field Trip Chaperone Guidelines 16 Personal Belongings 16 Library Books and Textbooks 17 Student Council 18 Animals 18 Lockers 18 Parent/Guardian Surveys 18 Regulations 18 Insurance 18 Neglect and Abuse of Children 18 Child Abuse Reporting Policy 18-19

Page 2 of 51 September 2017 Health Information 19-21 Health Forms 19 Medical Alert Plans 19 Illness 19 Procedures for Sick Children at School 19 Guidelines for Exclusion from School 20 Exclusion Symptoms 20 Medication 20 Blood Borne Pathogens Exposure Control Plans 20 Reporting Infectious Diseases and Treatment of Serious Medical Conditions 20 Handwashing 20-21

Emergency Situations 21-22 Minor Emergencies 21 More Serious Injuries 21 911 21 Fire and Disaster Drills 21 Utility Outages 21 Cancellation of School 22

Academic Guidelines 22-33 Preschool 22-23 Elementary 23-28 Middle School 28-30 End of Year Portfolios Grades K-8 30 Grades and Grade Reports 30 Tutoring 30 Deadlines and Due Dates 30-31 Home Learning 31 Academic Integrity 31-32 Morning Meeting 33 Testing 33 Promotion and Retention 33

Behavior Guidelines 33-45 Philosophy 33 Character Education 33-35 Positive Discipline Process 35-36 Serious Violations 36 Summit School Anti-Bullying Policy 36-38 Technology Expectations 38 Acceptable Use Policy 39 Code of Computer Etiquette and Online Conduct 39-40 Electronic Devices Policy 40-44 Cell Phone Policy 44 Security 45

Student Dress Code 45-46 Preschool General Policies 46-48 Middle School Code of Conduct 48 Activity Fee Schedule for 5th through 8th Grades 50 Handbook Agreement Form 51

Page 3 of 51 September 2017 Dear Parents and Students,

WELCOME to the new school year! This handbook is designed to be a helpful summary of all the information you will need to become familiar with our programs, understand our philosophy, and follow our procedures. We are a team working for the students’ success, so please review this information with your family so that we can be as organized, efficient, and safe as possible. At Summit School, we have an open door policy and always welcome your ideas, suggestions, questions, and support. Here’s to a wonderful year of achievement and success! Sincerely, Mark Bistricky Head of School

Andrea Benkel Assistant Head of School

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Summit School of Ahwatukee is to foster academic excellence and the love of learning through a liberal arts education. Our community nurtures the knowledge, skills, and values essential to a responsible and rewarding life.

VISION STATEMENT

Summit School of Ahwatukee is a home for the active and developing minds of preschool through eighth grade students. We are a dynamic community with a culture that fosters relationships among students, teachers, parents, and alumni where:

• An innovative, integrated curriculum develops core academic knowledge and skills among all students. • Students engage in academic experiences designed to meet personal and differentiated needs. • Deep understanding of academic content is demonstrated through the development of global, economic, civic, health, environmental, digital, media and informational literacy. • Students learn the essential skills of critical thinking, creativity, innovation, communication, problem- solving, leadership skills, and collaboration necessary for success in today’s world. • Students cultivate important character skills; including self-discipline, integrity, and resilience, while developing mutual respect for others and their world. • Community partnerships and community service are embedded in the school curriculum and environment. • Students utilize the latest technology for advanced learning and problem-solving. • Summit School is a professional learning community where exceptional faculty takes part in relevant and challenging learning and sharing of their knowledge.

STRATEGIC GOALS

Teaching and Learning Ensure academic excellence and innovation to fully engage and challenge students from diverse backgrounds.

Facilities Planning Create facilities that maintain the size and configuration to sustain and enhance the aesthetics, functionality, revenue and safety of the school and serve the needs of our educational community, goals and vision.

Financial Sustainability and Enrollment Management Increase revenue to ensure all expenses are covered, including debt payment, and build cash reserves to cover six months operational expenses.

Page 4 of 51 September 2017 Technology Prepare technology-empowered, lifelong learners with the knowledge, tools, and skills to succeed in a global society.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

William Andrew Agata Steenken Stephanie Austin Jessica Suzuki Tammy Braatz Marilyn Thompson, Chair Lauren Cantoni Tim Crown Mark Bistricky (non-voting Head of School) Eric Crown Andrea Benkel (non-voting Assistant Head of School) Jennifer Hetrick Faith Angelakis (non-voting Teacher Representative) Aya Matsuda Neil Buckley (non-voting Parent Representative) Suleyman Sair Heather Wolownik (non-voting Parent Representative) Jim Scussel

ADMISSIONS

The Summit School of Ahwatukee welcomes students of any race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or nationality to all programs and activities. Our personalized approach to education meets the needs of most children. We work hard to determine if the school and the student are a good match. Whenever possible, we do require a student visitation before admittance and a review of all appropriate prior educational records. Before enrolling, family and school staff members evaluate the school’s capabilities to meet the student’s individual needs and his/her potential to be successful at Summit School. Once enrolled, the child is assessed academically so that teachers are able to create the appropriate instructional activities and goals. In general, students who are more than one grade level behind academically will find the Summit School curriculum too difficult and will not be enrolled unless there is evidence that the child will catch up and be successful. Occasionally students must be retained in order to receive developmentally-appropriate instruction.

Special Needs Admissions Statement Summit accepts students with special needs whose needs can be met with differentiated instruction within the mainstream classroom. Admissions decisions are based on a careful assessment of each student’s ability to achieve success within the limits of our resources.

Parents need to consult with the Summit Admissions office to determine that Summit has appropriate resources to serve the student. For admissions purposes, Summit considers the applicant’s strengths and weaknesses, and reviews documentation in the following areas:

• Current academic functioning as determined by past school records (3 full years of complete school records are required to apply for grades three and above). Applicants must have average to above average grades. • Assessed intellectual levels. • Assessed achievement levels. • Oral and written communication skills. • Statement of health history including significant health needs and vision and hearing screening. • Any additional services currently being provided such as those stated in an Individual Educational Program or 504 Accommodation Plan. Copies of previous IEPs and accommodation plans must be submitted with the admissions application.

If the applicant’s intellectual and achievement levels have not been assessed prior to applying for admission, parents will make arrangements for private testing after a formal application has been made. Applicants will visit for two days in a Summit classroom, in their current grade level. Students currently in kindergarten and above will be given a reading, writing and math assessments during their classroom visit.

The Head of School will convene a meeting to review all of the admissions and assessment data and make a

Page 5 of 51 September 2017 recommendation. Enrollment will be confirmed after the Director of Admissions has determined that the applicant can be successful at Summit within the limits of our resources.

Admission of students with special needs to a grade level may not ensure continued enrollment in the next grade level. It is increasingly difficult for Summit to meet the individual educational needs of students with special needs as they progress through the grade levels due to the increased level of academic rigor and requirements at progressive grade levels.

Summit has an inclusive program for students with special needs, but does not offer special education programming or personnel; modified grades, or make significant modifications to curriculum. Summit does not offer any related services such as dedicated special education assistants, transportation, or ancillary programs.

Summit is unable to: • Accept students with limited intellectual capacity, or who are emotionally, behaviorally or multiply handicapped • Accept students with learning disabilities or special needs who have limited English proficiency • Provide support services such as speech-language, physical or occupational therapy • Provide transition classes or self-contained special education classes • Administer formal psycho-educational assessments • Provide homebound instruction • Offer modified grades • Offer alternative diplomas

Decisions regarding enrollment and disenrollment of any child are determined at the sole discretion of the Head of School and may happen at any point in the school year.

Age Requirements • PRESCHOOL: Children entering the Summit School of Ahwatukee preschool program must be at least 30 months by the first day of school and have independent toileting skills. (If a child has repeated accidents, continued enrollment is subject to review.) Any exceptions are at the discretion of the Assistant Head of School.

• KINDERGARTEN: Students are deemed age-appropriate for kindergarten if they have reached their fifth (5th) birthday before September 30 of the proposed year of entrance.

Registration Procedures Once a student is formally accepted into Summit School, the parents/guardians are asked to complete and submit an enrollment form and a non-refundable deposit.

Parents/guardians will be asked to complete an admission packet, which includes the following: • Emergency Information Cards • Immunization Records Request • Health History form (to be completed by parents/guardians) • Media Release Form • Extended Day Enrollment Form

Parents/guardians are asked to complete the forms indicated and submit them to the school before their child’s first day of attendance. Students will not be allowed to attend school unless these forms have been submitted.

*If a student moves more than 50 miles away, the Summit School will refund the registration fee. Parents/guardians will be required to put the request in writing and submit proof of relocation (electric bill, copy of a lease, etc.) Disenrollment for any other reason is not grounds for a refund.

Page 6 of 51 September 2017 Student Placement Our goal in making class placement decisions is to create heterogeneous, well-balanced classes that create the optimal learning environment for teachers and students.

Basic to our placement practices is the belief that the majority of children are well equipped to succeed in any classroom. In addition, children need to have the opportunity to work and learn with a variety of teachers as this will better prepare them to successfully interact with the various teaching styles and personalities they will encounter throughout their schooling and work life.

Parent/guardian input regarding their child’s placement for the coming year should be made in writing to the Head of School by May 1.

We do not accept any requests for teachers by name as part of this input process. Since our placement procedure relies upon the professional judgment of all of our teachers and considers so many variables there would be no way a system designed to be fair and equitable to all students and families.

Tuition and Fees: Preschool through 8th Grade 2017-18

Tuition costs below are for the regular school day. Arrival: 8:00am – 8:15am, School day: 8:15 – 3:15, Dismissal: 3:15pm.

Before and after school care is available for an additional cost. Before school hours: 7:00am – 8:00am After school hours: 3:30pm – 6:00pm.

2017-2018 Tuition Preschool Tuition* Sibling Discount* 3 Day $8,150 $7,335 3/5 Day $9,350 $8,415 5 Day $11,050 $9,945

K-5** $13,775 $12,398

6th-8th ** $14,125 $12,713

*Applicable Fees in addition to Annual Tuition listed above (non-refundable): • $90 B.E.S.T. (Parent Organization) Annual Dues for Preschool through 8th grade • $200 Program Materials Fee for Kindergarten through 8th grade • $200 Annual Processing Fee for 10 Monthly Payment Plan **

Payment Due at Enrollment: A $700 non-refundable enrollment payment is due at the time of enrollment. This payment is part of the total tuition/fees/dues owed for the school year.

Payment Plan Options: The following payment options are available for the balance due after the $700 non-refundable enrollment payment made at the time of enrollment. The enrollment payment is part of the total tuition owed for the school year. The payment plan amounts below include all applicable fees. 1 payment Due on July 15, 2017 2 payments Due July 15, 2017 and December 15, 2017 10 payments Due July 15, 2017 thru April 15, 2018**

**The 10 monthly payment plan includes a $200 Processing Fee (non-refundable) distributed over 10 payments.

Past Due Accounts: Including all fees associated with student account • Tuition is considered late on the 16th of each month and each student tuition account will be charged a $20.00 late fee. • In the event that a tuition account has reached 30 days past due, the parent(s) will be notified that they will have 24 hours to make payment in full or the student(s) will face dis-enrollment. Upon disenrollment, the account will be turned over to a collection agency.

Page 7 of 51 September 2017 • Students whose accounts are 30 or more days past due two weeks before the departure date may not go on overnight trips. • All tuition accounts must be paid in full by May 1, 2018, prior to the end of the 2017-18 school year unless previously approved payment plans are in force. • Outstanding balances after May 1, 2018 will affect graduation for 8th graders and the distribution of transcripts and final report cards for all students. • Summit School of Ahwatukee reserves the right to dis-enrollment a student for the upcoming school year if there is an outstanding balance from the previous school year.

Parent Commitment

Upon signing the Enrollment Form for your child, you are committing to his/her education to Summit School. The following are expectations for all Summit parents and guardians:

• I understand that tuition due with enrollment, BEST Dues and Program Material fees are non-refundable at any time. • I understand that a minimum of thirty days’ notice is required when withdrawing a student; withdrawal fees will be applied. • I will be responsible for the tuition, dues and fees for the remainder of the semester for which my child is enrolled. • I will volunteer at least 10 hours per child, per year. • I understand the importance of contributing to the Arizona Private School Tax Credit on behalf of Summit School of Ahwatukee. • I understand the importance of contributing to Summit School during the upcoming school year, to assist in bridging the gap between the current tuition rate and the actual cost of educating my child.

2017-18 Extended Day Program

Summit School of Ahwatukee is proud to offer child care services for the 2017-18 school year. Our extended day team is excited to provide students of all ages with engaging and age appropriate activities, to enrich their before and after school experience.

EXTENDED DAY HOURS AND LOCATIONS:

Full Days: Before school (7:00 AM – 8:00 AM) and after school (3:30 PM – 6:00 PM).

Preschool Extended Day: Morning drop off is located in the multi-purpose room. Afternoon pickup is inside the preschool. Snacks and necessary materials are included.

Elementary and Middle School Extended Day: Morning drop off is located in the multi-purpose room. Afternoon pickup may be in the knowledge center, the multi-purpose room or on the playground/field. Please see Extended Day sign on front gate notifying of each day’s location. Snacks and necessary materials are included.

ALL STUDENTS will be automatically enrolled in Drop-in Extended Day unless they are enrolled in the Prepaid Extended Day program. Parents are charged for this service only when used.

Drop-In Extended Day: Invoiced only when used at a rate of $19 per day:

Drop-in includes before and/or after school as needed by parents for preschool through 8th grade students. Parents are only charged when this service is used.

• The daily rate applies to a.m. extended day and/or p.m. extended day regardless of amount of time used. • Students not picked up by 3:30 pm, will be signed into Drop-in Extended by teachers, and the financially responsible parent(s) will be charged the daily rate. • FACTS accounts are invoiced on a monthly basis Page 8 of 51 September 2017 Prepaid Extended Day: Unlimited use and includes full use of Mini-Camp without any additional fees. Rate: 1-Payment $2,500 or 2-Payments of $1,250 or 10-payments of $250.

• Full-time use of Extended Day before and/or after school daily, Preschool thru 8th grade. • There are no refunds for non-use. • Usage of any full day mini camps scheduled for the school year at no extra charge.

Drop-In Mini-Camp: Rate: $65/full day charge on day used.

There are a limited number of Drop-in Mini-Camp spots available on a first come, first served basis. Mini Camp days are scheduled when school is not in session because of teacher conferences, professional development days and teachers in service.

• Space is limited and registration is required 2 weeks prior to the day of use. An email will be sent out prior to the mini-camp day requesting preregistration. • Charges will be billed directly to the FACTS account.

RULES AND POLICIES:

Payment is due on the 15th of each month. Non-payment of Extended Day fees after 30 days may result in suspension of Extended Day Services. All school rules, procedures and policies are in effect during Extended Day activities. Only previously authorized persons who show proper identification and are authorized by parent/guardian will be allowed to pick up students.

All parents/legal guardians or authorized persons must sign the student(s) into Extended Day if using before school and sign the student(s) out of Extended Day upon pick-up after school.

Late Pick-up Penalty: Summit Extended Day Program closes promptly at 6:00 PM. A $1.00 per minute additional charge will be added to your account for children picked up after 6:00 PM. The 2nd occurrence will result in a charge of $5.00 per minute/per child past 6:00PM. The 3rd occurrence will result in a charge of $10.00 per minute/per child past 6:00PM. Suspension of participation in Summit’s Extended Day Program may occur after the 3rd occurrence of late pick-up.

Pre-Paid Extended Day Payment Options: Enrollment includes Mini-Camp at no additional charge.

Upon selecting to enroll in Pre-Paid Extended Day, the payment plan for extended day will automatically be the same as the tuition payment plan selected at enrollment. If you prefer a different payment plan for Extended Day, please contact the Summit School Business office: [email protected]

By enrolling my child(ren) in the Extended Day Program(s), I confirm that I have read and understand the Extended Day Policies and that pick up is by 6:00 p.m. each day.

GENERAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

We have established general policies and procedures to provide your child with a safe and pleasant educational environment. By making these general procedures routine, students can concentrate on learning.

School Hours School hours for all elementary students are 8:15 AM - 3:15 PM. Summit School provides before and after-school supervision.

Classrooms open at 8:00 AM, and students must be IN THEIR CLASSROOMS by 8:15 AM or will be marked tardy. Because teachers are preparing for the day ahead, please do not send your children to the classroom before 8:00 AM. Students who arrive before 8:00 AM must report to Extended Day, and parents/guardians are charged accordingly.

Page 9 of 51 September 2017

Students who arrive late to school must report to the Main Office first for a Tardy Pass. Students are expected to be in their classrooms and ready to work by 8:15 AM. Those students arriving after that time will be considered tardy. All tardies and absences will appear on the student’s grade reports. We understand the need to schedule medical appointments and recommend that you schedule these before or after school. If not possible, please consult with your child’s home room teacher to find the best time during the school day so your child does not miss out on valuable learning time.

Excessive Absences and Tardiness Students are expected to attend class every day, barring illness, religious observance or family emergency. Absences and tardiness deemed excessive may result in consequences at the discretion of the Head of School.

Vacation Parents/guardians should make every effort to plan family vacations during “No School” days. “Vacation” is not considered an excused absence. Teachers are not required to provide assignments in advance for a child who is away from school for a trip or special event.

Notifying the School of Absences Parents/guardians are required to notify the office within twenty-four hours if a doctor diagnosis their child as having a contagious disease while attending our school. Also report any information when a child is hospitalized or receiving treatment for a serious medical condition. This information will be treated confidentially and shared with others on a need to know basis.

When reporting an absence, please give the child’s name, grade, date of the absence and the reason. We expect regular attendance, but if your child has symptoms of an illness, we encourage you to keep him or her home. See the section on Health Policies for more guidelines.

Signing In and Signing Out Only individuals listed on the approved pick up list are allowed to sign a child in or out of school. Please keep the school apprised of ANY changes in the information on the pickup list. A child will only be released to someone not identified on RenWeb with written permission from a custodial parent/guardian authorizing such action.

We have installed an access control pad outside of the preschool lobby door. As all preschool parents are assigned an access badge, it is important that you carry this with you to enter the preschool lobby. The lobby will be locked and can only be accessed with your badge. If you forget your badge or have another family member coming to preschool-please go to the front office and sign in at the desk where you will be given a temporary visitor/volunteer badge.

Please be aware that photo identification of any person signing a child in or out may be requested by the staff if they are not familiar with the person. Please inform all parties who are listed on the blue emergency card of this policy so they enter the building with proper identification in their possession.

Our teachers will often have a special Sign-In sheet for the children each day. This is a wonderful opportunity for them to feel connected to the class community from the moment that they arrive! These Sign-In sheets often reflect learning that has occurred or will occur over the course of the day and are a “not to be missed” activity!

Drop Off and Pick Up Parents/guardians are responsible for transporting their children to and from school. • Preschool - Parents/guardians must park in a designated parking space or along the street curb and walk their child to the preschool classroom to sign them in and out. • Grades K-4 - The main driveway at the front of the school is a drop off and pick up zone for K-4 only. In the morning, please use the drive-through loop where a staff member will greet your child, OR park and walk your child to class. In the afternoon, K-4 students are dismissed from the MPR. Students who are picked up by private vehicles are dismissed from the north side double doors. Students who are picked Page 10 of 51 September 2017 up by parents on-foot should enter campus through the front gate and proceed to the south side door of the MPR. All students are checked out using an “exit” card that is given to the teacher as they depart. • Grades 5-6 - Fifth graders and middle school students are usually dropped off at the east gate (unless they have a younger sibling in K-4). The east gate is the official middle school entrance. Grades 5-6 are dismissed at the east gate (unless they have a 7-8 grade sibling) • Grades 7-8 - Fifth graders and middle school students are usually dropped off at the east gate (unless they have a younger sibling in K-4). The east gate is the official middle school entrance. Grades 7-8 students dismiss at the south gate on E. Woodland Dr. (along with any 5-6 grade siblings) in order to eliminate dangerous traffic situations. • Parents/guardians and visitors must park in designated lined parking spaces only. Never park in such a way to hinder the flow of traffic or jeopardize the safety of children. Parking is not allowed along the red curbs. Also, do not park in the private 24/7 spaces purchased by parents/guardians at the annual Summit School Auction. • State law prohibits neglect and endangerment of children. Never leave children unattended in a vehicle at any time, and always use car seats and seat belts because these are legally required and save lives.

Special Arrival/Dismissal Requests For Middle School Students Only Middle school students who wish to arrange special transportation to and/or from school via bike or as a pedestrian must provide specific, dated written permission from the parent/guardian and to be given to the homeroom teacher, front office staff and Head of School in advance.

Extended Day Care Parent/guardians wishing to have their children attend Extended Day Care must formally enroll them so that we know how many students will participate. Also, all students who have not been picked up within fifteen minutes of their dismissal time are checked in or sent to Extended Day and charged for that day. This charge also applies to students who are not picked up promptly after school enrichment programs.

Summit School opens for extended care at 7:00 AM and closes promptly at 6:00 PM. Please do not drop children off before 7:00 AM. Parents/guardians will be charged one dollar per minute for every minute the student remains at school after 6:00 PM. Repeated late pick-up may result in the student not being allowed to participate in the Extended Day program or may lead to disenrollment.

All parent/guardians using drop-in care will be asked to complete a Drop-In Extended Day Care Agreement.

Babysitting By Summit Staff or Faculty Summit School does not allow Staff and Faculty members to provide personal child care to Summit students or siblings enrolled in our school program.

Persons Designated to Pick-Up Students or Help in Case of Emergencies Parents/guardians must authorize in writing those individuals who are permitted to pick up their students from school. Even if it is a close family friend, students must have written parent/guardian permission to go home with any unauthorized person after school.

If either the parent/guardian or the authorized person cannot pick-up a student, a parent/guardian must fax written authorization to the main office at the beginning of the day. That individual must be able to provide picture identification in order for us to release the child to this person’s care. In the interest of security, parents/guardians should not telephone the school to give a substitute’s name during the day, nor should they send the written permission with the person who is picking up the student.

Communicating in Cases of Divorce or Separation Believing that a child's educational experience is enhanced through active parent participation and partnership, Summit seeks to facilitate communication with all parents in the case of divorce or separation. Absent a court order to the contrary, and regardless of who signs the enrollment contract or pays the tuition, it is the policy of the school to provide all parents (custodial, non-custodial, and step-parents) equal access to all official records and reports regarding their child(ren). All parents are entitled to receive normal school mailings (e.g., grades and comments, all-school emails). And each parent is granted access to the child(ren), to teachers, and to administrators. Such access is provided without notification of other parties. It is Page 11 of 51 September 2017 the parents' responsibility to provide record of court decisions, and up-to-date contact information.

Appointments Students must be signed out if they leave before the end of the school day. Parents/guardians should report to the office and ask the Office Manger to call the child out of class. Upon returning to school, parents/guardians must also sign in the child.

Visitors All visitors, including parents/guardians, must report to the office to sign in and receive a visitor pass. In general, student visitors are NOT allowed.

Home & School Communication At the Summit School of Ahwatukee, the partnership between teachers and parents/guardians is critical to the success of the educational process. Therefore, parents/guardians are involved in the following ways: • Personalized Education Plan (PEP) conferences with teachers • Teacher and class information sent by email • Communication with teachers via phone, email, and in person • Summit School’s parent’s/guardian organization (B.E.S.T.) and committees • Volunteer opportunities A student’s teacher is the best informed campus representative regarding your children. For that reason, we ask that the first point of contact always be the classroom teacher. If the issue requires further resolution, an appointment with the Head of School and the teacher to facilitate additional communication.

Communication and information sharing are of the utmost importance at Summit School. The school strives for a nearly 100% paperless environment and it is expected that parents/guardians are able to receive and send email messages on a regular basis. If your email address changes at any point please log on to your Parents Web account to update this information.

Parent/Guardian Visits In order to provide a secure school environment, it is important that we know who is on the campus at all times. Therefore, all parents/guardians and other guests must first report to the main office or preschool lobby and sign in to receive a visitor pass. Parents/guardians may request a classroom visit with prior arrangement through the classroom teacher or administration.

Parent/Guardian Volunteers Each parent/guardian is asked to volunteer a minimum of ten hours per year; this may be in class activities, field trips, special projects at home, or school events. Parents/guardians who volunteer in their child’s classroom must pre-arrange times with the classroom teacher and keep in mind that the purpose of volunteering is to give assistance to the teachers, not to work with any individual child. Also, parents/guardians, visitors, and helpers must keep information confidential that is learned while in the classroom and must refrain from sharing judgments about children and/or teachers.

Note: Classroom volunteers are generally not needed in the upper grades, where the academic content is more advanced and students are more sensitive about and aware of their actions and abilities. Nevertheless, parents/guardians of older students are encouraged to help teachers and the school community in other ways. One way to volunteer would to be a Parent Partner. A Parent Partner is a classroom parent that assists the teacher and coordinates a volunteer program that meets the needs of the classroom teacher and offers opportunities for parents to become involved in their child’s educational experience. The selection of Parent Partners will be made by the classroom teacher(s) and the Head of School. Each teacher will design a specific volunteer program that best meets his or her needs.

Emergency Guidelines for Parent Volunteers Summit School of Ahwatukee developed a Crisis Response Plan that serves as a guide to help staff and safety partners respond swiftly should a crisis arise.

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Parents should be assured to know that the safety procedures in place in the school are extensive and all staff are prepared to respond to a wide variety of school emergencies.

Emergency Drills If you are present during a drill, follow the lead of the nearest faculty or staff member.

Facts and Terms Every Parent Should Know Should an emergency situation occur while you are on campus, it is important that you are familiar with the following terms:

• Modified Lockdown During a modified lockdown exterior doors and main interior doors are locked to make it more difficult for an intruder or potential threat to gain access to students or staff. • Lockdown During a lockdown, all school interior and exterior doors are locked and all students and staff are confined to a safe room. No entry or exit is permissible until an “all clear” signal is given. This takes place when there is a possible threat inside or outside of the school. • Evacuation An evacuation may be necessary for the following situations: arson, fire, explosion, hazardous materials leak/spill, bomb threat, or damage to the building. • Shelter-In-Place This refers to taking refuge in an area inside the school when there is not adequate time to evacuate the school or release students. For example, this procedure may be implemented inside for hazardous materials that have been released into the atmosphere.

School Pictures/Yearbook Early in the school year, a professional photographer visits Summit School and takes individual student photos; packets are available for purchase. At least one make-up day is scheduled. Mid-year, class photos are taken and are also available for purchase. These individual and group photos are published, along with many other candid photographs documenting the school year, in the annual school yearbook. The cost of the school yearbook is included in the student fees so that every student receives one. Additional yearbooks may be pre- ordered for an additional fee.

Outdoor Recess Weather permitting, preschool students spend at least an hour outdoors as part of the educational program. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. Summit preschool participates in the American Cancer Society’s Sun Wise program, with the sunscreen protocol, and teachers are aware that the most harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun are present between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Therefore: • Teachers refrain from conducting some outdoor activities in times of extreme temperatures. There are always shaded areas available for students to enjoy as well as a mister system surrounding the playground patio. • Teachers will provide children with indoor gross motor activities when the air quality index indicates that it is not safe for young children to participate in outdoor play. • Parents/guardians should send their children to school with a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen already applied. Reminder: Hats must be removed indoors. • Water is available during all outdoor activities and students are encouraged to visit the water fountain every fifteen minutes when outside. • When public health authorities recommend the use of insect repellents due to a high risk of insect borne disease, only repellants containing DEET are used and these are applied on children older than 2 months. Staff apply insect repellant no more than once a day and only with written parental permission.

Sunscreen Protocol In accordance with a new Arizona law, Summit students may now possess and use an FDA approved topical sunscreen product while on school property or at a school related event or activity to avoid overexposure to the sun. Summit staff will not actually apply any sunscreen product to our students without parent permission.

For safety reasons: Page 13 of 51 September 2017 • No aerosols should be used. There are dangers with pressurized cans and aerosols may pose problems for students with respiratory issues. Pump spray should not be used indoors • Parents should label sunscreen product container with student’s name. • Sunscreen products should be stored away when not in use--lockers, cubbies, backpacks, or some other reasonable location.

Meals • All students should bring healthy lunches to school. Only Preschool lunches will be refrigerated and the teachers are able to heat in the microwave. Middle School students are allowed to heat their lunches in the microwave in the MPR kitchen. • Dishes2U is an optional lunch program available to all student’s PS-8th grades. Summit School has partnered with Dishes2U to provide a secure, fast, and easy-to-use online ordering system that allows parents to view our lunch menu, order, prepay and mange student’s lunches on the web. • Milk is available at no charge to all students during lunch. • Summit School believes strongly in healthy eating, and suggests that fast food not be eaten on a daily basis. If a student forgets his/her lunch at home, the parent/guardian is called and asked to provide a healthy lunch. • The Student Council sells special lunches to PS-8 students throughout the year. The lunches include milk and food from popular restaurants. Order forms will be sent home in advance. • The Student Council also sells ice cream to K-8 students on designated Fridays throughout the year. If your child wishes to purchase ice cream, they should bring $1 to school on that day.

Snack Guidelines for Preschool and Extended Day Students Summit provides both a morning and an afternoon snack for our students in Preschool and Extended Day. Please let us know immediately if you will be bringing in special snack items for your child if they have food allergies.

Minimum Requirements per Child – Two Food Groups Required BREADS: 1 slice BAGELS: ½ regular size or 1 mini MUFFINS: 1 regular size CRACKERS: 2 oz. CHEESE: 1 oz. FRUITS/VEGETABLES: 4 oz. MILK: 4 oz. JUICE: 4 oz. (FULL STRENGTH ONLY)

Special Note: The Maricopa County Health Department requires all food to be shared at school be purchased at a commercial institution and arrive in original and/or sealed packages. This includes fruit and vegetables. These must arrive uncut and in plastic bags provided by grocer.

Meal times are both a social and a learning time and we want them to be a pleasant experience for your child. Please discuss any special concerns you have about meal times with the teachers BEFORE school begins so that we can better support your child.

General Food Guidelines for All Grade-Levels & School Areas • Except on special occasions, candy and soda are not allowed. • Red punch and gum are never allowed because of the potential damage to carpets and furniture. • Children are discouraged from sharing food with each other. • All food must be commercially prepared and sent in original, packaged containers. Homemade food is never allowed.

Class Parties and Special Treats • You may want to provide treats for the class on your child’s birthday or for special class parties. We encourage this type of sharing, but parents/guardians should notify teachers ahead of time to avoid too many treats on a given day.

Student Pictures and Social Media Pictures are a wonderful way to capture the treasured memories of your child’s experiences at Summit School of Ahwatukee. Digital photos and social media make sharing pictures easy to do.

However, while photographing or sharing pictures of school events, it is important to remember that families have varying views on the use of social media and how pictures of their children are used. Thus as a school community

Page 14 of 51 September 2017 we need to be respectful of each family’s choices for their children.

Some parents have signed “no media” forms which should be honored by everyone who takes pictures on campus. The school’s first responsibility is to honor the parents request for privacy while the child is at school. At times this may be cumbersome and difficult to control, but as a community looking out for the welfare of each child we need to take care to respect the wishes of others regarding privacy. Therefore, we ask parents not to post pictures of other children on any web-based digital sharing or social media sites, without the permission of the parents of another child.

Field Trips Field trips expose students to new places and exciting opportunities for learning and are a very important part of your child’s educational experience. During the year, students will go on a variety of field trips. We will notify parents/guardians in advance of any planned trips; and parents/guardians will have opportunities to chaperone field trips when necessary. Most field trips will require an additional fee. School personnel ensure adequate adult supervision on all such trips.

The Summit School's first concern is for the safety of all students. Siblings of students are not allowed to attend school field trips.

Out-of-town field trips of more than one day are exciting educational opportunities. These trips are the culmination of the students’ in-school educational experiences and are administered and planned by the teachers and administrators in charge. Students are expected to participate for the entire trip in order to benefit from the experience. On occasion, parents/guardians may be invited to participate as volunteers.

Permission Forms: We provide and require written permission forms for each field trip in order to ensure that you are fully informed and approve of your child’s participation.

Transportation: Transportation for field trips is usually provided by parents/guardian. All field trip drivers are required to complete the Pre-Certification process by submitting copies of the following documentation to the Summit school front desk, prior to the first field trip in which they are driving: 1) current driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicle (www.servicearizona.com) 2) current driver’s license 3) proof of current automobile insurance 4) signed Chaperone Guidelines and Agreement (available at the front desk). These documents will be kept confidential and on file with Summit School for the duration of the school year. In addition, on the morning of every field trip, all drivers must complete the Field Trip Driver Certification Form and submit it to the front desk. Parents will be informed that they cannot drive for a field trip if the necessary documentation is not submitted or the driving record of the parent does not meet the criteria of Summit School.

While transporting students to and from class field trips, drivers are discouraged from making stops for food or other reasons during the field trip.

Parents who are driving only their child on a Summit School field trip, must still complete the Driving Pre- certification process, the Day of the Field Trip Driving Form and be approved for driving prior to driving for the field trip. In addition, all students must come to school and be counted in attendance prior to leaving for a class field trip. Students who go to a Summit School field trip directly from home will be considered absent from Summit School that day and Summit School will not be responsible for the student during the class field trip. Parents who are driving their own child on a Summit field trip are required to return their child to Summit School at the end of the field trip. They may then sign their child out from school in the front office, if the student needs to leave school early.

We make every effort to ensure that your child has safe and pleasant transportation to and from field trips. We instruct the children in passenger safety and courtesy, so that they always treat the driver and all other passengers with respect. Riding in a bus or in another person’s car is a privilege, and any student who repeatedly causes problems will not be allowed on future field trips. Students must behave in a respectful manner according to Summit School discipline expectations for the safety and well-being of all passengers. The driver has complete authority and all school rules are in effect.

Preschool: All Arizona Department of Health Service and Office of Childcare Licensure regulations are followed if a bus is used. Laws regarding the use of car seats are followed for preschool age children. Students may ride in

Page 15 of 51 September 2017 private vehicles only with prior written consent from the parent, and a car seat or booster seat must be provided for any child under the age of 5.

Field Trip Chaperone Guidelines

When you volunteer to serve as a chaperone on your child’s field trip, you will be helping to extend the regular curriculum beyond the classroom and the school. Your role as a chaperone is an important one, and while enjoyable, requires that you accept certain responsibilities.

The purpose of the Chaperone Guidelines and Agreement is to provide you with an overview of a chaperone’s responsibilities, and to make recommendations for appropriate responses to various situations that may arise during the course of a field trip.

Responsibilities: • Arrive on time • Know the children in your assigned group: Introduce yourself and learn the names and faces of the students. • Take students directly from school to field trip destination and return to school without side trips. • Communicate with the teacher: Ask questions as they arise. • Watch carefully: Always think of the children’s safety first. Be alert to potential dangers. If necessary, move children to a safe place and inform the teacher. • Enforce student buddy rules including restroom usage. • No student electronic device usage in cars or during field trips. • Check in with Summit School front desk upon returning students to school at end of field trip.

The following activities are not allowed while chaperoning a Summit School Field Trip: • Smoking or consuming alcoholic beverages during the field trip. • Texting or use of your cellphone when supervising students. • Bringing siblings or other children on the field trip. • Leaving children alone or unescorted. • Purchasing souvenirs or food without prior permission of the teacher. • Physically restraining a child. • Releasing students to anyone other than the teacher.

In the event of an emergency: • Contact the teacher leader and if necessary, contact Summit School at 480-403-9500 • Report all student illnesses and injuries to the teacher.

Personal Belongings The Summit School of Ahwatukee is not responsible for any misplaced, lost, or stolen personal belongings.

Not Allowed – Numerous items are NOT appropriate for school. Children should not bring toys, valuables, electronics, or other items that are not essential to learning. Students may NEVER bring matches, toy guns, weapons, combat toys, or any object that could injure another person into the school. Students are also forbidden from bringing to school items intended for sale or trade and may not engage in any personal business transactions.

Toys We ask that your child leave all toys at home. The classrooms are filled with wonderful materials. Toys from home can be distracting and are difficult to share. Please resist the urge to let your child bring even the smallest toy for any reason. Assure your child that it will be safer if left at home or in the car, and that it will be there for him/her at the end of the day. It may help to suggest that instead of bringing in a toy, you and your child will look for an interesting activity or something new in the classroom. This includes fidget spinners, unless approved by administration.

Lost and Found- The lost and found bins are located in the Health Office. If a student has lost a personal item they can come to the health office to check the bins.

Page 16 of 51 September 2017 Labeling –Please clearly label all the belongings your child brings to school, especially all outerwear. Children easily misplace coats, backpacks, tote bags, and lunch boxes, or mistake someone else’s belongings for their own.

Library Books Students are expected to take good care of library materials and to return them in a timely manner. Lost, damaged, or stolen library books and textbooks are the sole responsibility of the student and parents/guardians. While fines are not charged for overdue materials, parents/guardians are responsible for replacing any books that are not returned. A book will be considered “lost” and replacement fees will be charged if a book is more than 60 days overdue. Overdue / lost books may result in a student losing library check-out privileges until the replacement cost is paid. At the end of the school year, school documents such as progress reports, transcripts, and diplomas may be withheld until all books checked out to the student are returned or replaced.

In-kind donations are only accepted in lieu of replacement fees if the material donated is an exact copy of the item lost or by prior arrangement with the librarian. Refunds cannot be issued for lost materials that are located and returned after the replacement fee is paid. In those cases, students are invited to keep the book for their personal libraries or to donate it back to the classroom or Knowledge Center.

Summit Textbook Policy The textbooks checked out to you are the property of Summit School of Ahwatukee, and it is your privilege to use the books while you are a student at Summit. Students are required to return all textbooks at the conclusion of the class, at the direction or request of the teacher or if the student leaves Summit. • Students will sign for hardcover textbooks and paperback novels in each individual class. • All hardcover texts are to be covered with a paper, non-adhesive book cover. • Students are to protect all textbooks from damage. • Students are asked not to write, underline or highlight in textbooks, including textbook novels checked out for English classes (use sticky notes!). • If text is lost or damaged in any way, student will pay all costs before a new textbook is issued. • All texts checked out to the student must be returned in good, usable condition. Fines for damages or the entire replacement cost may be billed to the student if the textbook is not in good, usable condition. • In accordance with our handbook, students will not receive final grade reports until all textbooks are returned and outstanding fines are paid. • Students are not to loan or borrow other students’ textbooks. Since students are responsible for damaged and lost books, they may only carry their own assigned book.

Textbook Fines and Fees Report cards and transcripts may be withheld if a student owes a fine for overdue or damaged materials. Fines for repair or replacement of textbook materials are assessed when materials are abused during the time the student was responsible for the materials. Fines are assessed when a book is water or liquid damaged, the binding is damaged, a barcode or picture has been cut from the book, or damage due to ink, highlighter, or writing has occurred inside the book.

Misplaced Books Students are expected carry textbooks with them, or to leave textbooks in their lockers. If a textbook is found lying unattended on school grounds or in a classroom, it will be returned to the corresponding teacher. If the student misplaces a book on a consistent basis, a consequence will be given at the discretion of the teacher.

Paperback Novels We highly recommend that students cover their paperback novels to prevent excessive damage. Books that are not returned in good, usable condition or that have been lost will have the cost of replacement billed to the student.

Consumables These include workbooks, student planners, and other bound, printed material that is intended for one student's use only. Examples would include Wordly Wise workbooks, math journals, student planners, and so on. Summit is happy to provide students with one copy of each consumable item. Damages and fines will not be

Page 17 of 51 September 2017 assessed for these items. However, if a student loses a consumable or needs another one for any reason, he will be billed for the replacement cost of the item.

Student Council The Summit School Student Council is comprised of representatives from grades 6, 7, and 8. This group of students elects officers each year and meets to plan and oversee important fun activities and community service projects for the student body. These include, Special Friday Lunches, Spirit Day Themes, Ice Cream Fridays and other school-wide leadership efforts including outside community service.

Animals In general, non-service animals are not permitted on campus. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. For the health and safety of everyone, parents are not permitted to bring pets onto school property, even if they are on a leash.

Some classes may have class pets such as small animals or fish in order to teach children how to care for animals and handle them safely. Please let us know if your child has an allergy that would exclude him or her from this kind of activity.

Lockers School authorities have equal access to lockers and may inspect them at any time. Lockers are assigned to students. Each student is to remove all stickers, signs, markings, etc. from their locker at the end of the school year. Students are responsible for any damage to their lockers and the cost of clean-up. There are no locks provided or permitted for use on lockers, so valuables should not be stored in lockers during the day, overnight or over weekends. The school cannot be responsible for any lost or stolen items.

Standardized Testing Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 participate in standards-based assessments on a yearly basis. The individual results are shared with parents/guardians and teachers; school composite scores are shared with the general Summit School community. These tests are an important part of the information that we gather regarding the student’s academic potential and performance.

Parent/Guardian Surveys Near the end of the school year, parents/guardians are asked to complete a survey about all aspects of Summit School’s programs. The results of these surveys are reviewed by the Board of Trustees and serve as important feedback for the school’s continuous improvement process.

Regulations The Summit School facility is regulated by the Arizona Department of Health Services located at 150 N. 18th Avenue, Suite 400, Phoenix, AZ 85007. Their phone number is (602) 364-2539. Inspection reports are available upon request.

Insurance In accordance with Arizona law (A.R.S. R9-5-302.A 1-15, Article 3) the Summit School of Ahwatukee maintains general liability insurance.

Neglect and Abuse of Children State law and our own concern for the welfare of each child require us to report suspected child abuse or neglect. If teachers know or have reason to believe that a child is being physically abused, sexually abused, or neglected, the law requires them to contact Maricopa County Child Protection Services. The law requires that the report include the child’s name and address of the alleged perpetrator (if known), the extent of the injuries, and the name of the person reporting the suspected abuse or neglect.

CHILD ABUSE REPORTING POLICY Summit School of Ahwatukee seeks to maintain the safest possible environment for our students. In doing so, we abide by our legal, social, and moral obligations to protect our students from abuse by reporting any suspected abuse to the proper authorities. Child abuse is a very serious issue and the Summit School of Ahwatukee will not tolerate the physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect of any of its students.

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Reporting procedures Early intervention in a situation can help prevent more serious abuse. As such, this policy requires that our faculty and staff report ANY indications of abuse that they may observe directly to Child Protective Services (CPS) or the police department by calling 1-888-SOS-CHILD or 1-888-767-2445 and to follow any written requirements requested by CPS. Arizona law requires certain persons who suspect that a child has received non-accidental injury or has been neglected to report their concerns to DCS or local law enforcement (ARS §13-3620.A).

In addition, the faculty or stall member is required to report that a complaint has been filed to any of the following: • Mark Bistricky, Head of School • Andrea Benkel, Assistant Head of School • Carol Mauermann, Counselor

The Summit School of Ahwatukee will not tolerate any retaliation against any individual who brings forward a possible instance of child abuse. We both encourage and appreciate every person’s cooperation in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our students.

Summit School of Ahwatukee is a Breastfeeding-Friendly Environment according to Arizona Department of Health Services.

HEALTH INFORMATION

We strive to create a healthy and safe school environment. You can help by paying close attention to our health policies, which we have designed to protect your child’s well-being.

Health Forms State regulations require that a child may not be enrolled in the school unless health forms or an exemption are on file. Parents/guardians must provide the following: • A record of current immunizations before a child attends school

Medical Alert Plans Students who have severe allergies or serious medical conditions require a doctor’s statement describing the health or medical condition and the most important steps to take in an emergency situation. This documentation must be presented to the Head of School and will be used to develop a medical alert plan which includes the following: picture of the student and all parent contact information; statement of the medical condition; signs and symptoms; information regarding when to contact emergency medical services; information regarding what to do/not to do until emergency medical services arrive; and any other information that would help school personnel keep the child safe. In cases where all staff need to be informed, parents will be asked to give permission for a medical alert poster to be placed in public areas on campus.

Illness The only place for a sick child is at home. If your child displays any of the symptoms listed below or has an infectious or communicable disease, please keep your child at home. Keep these guidelines handy. They will help you make appropriate decisions about sending your child to school. Children should be symptom-free (see Exclusion Symptoms) or on medication for twenty-four hours before returning to school.

Procedures for Sick Children at School 1. If your child becomes sick at school, we call you or a person that you have designated for emergencies. A staff member cares for your sick child until you or the designated person arrives. We monitor your child and keep your child as comfortable as possible. Parents/guardians or designated persons must pick up sick children within one hour. 2. Children should be symptom-free (see Exclusion Symptoms) or on medications for twenty-four hours before returning to school.

Page 19 of 51 September 2017 3. Since playing outside enhances children’s social skills and helps them learn to play cooperatively, we require a medical excuse for a child to stay indoors.

Guidelines for Exclusion from School Certain symptoms in children may suggest the presence of a communicable disease. Children who have the symptoms listed below should be excluded from school until: 1. A physician has certified that the symptoms are not associated with an infectious agent or that they are no longer a threat to the health of other children at school; or 2. The symptoms have substantially subsided for at least twenty-four hours.

Exclusion Symptoms • FEVER: 100 °F or higher- A child should be fever-free for 24 hours (without medication) before returning to school. • NAUSEA, VOMITING OR DIARRHEA: A child should be free from symptoms for 24 hours (without medication) before returning to school. • RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS: Difficult or rapid breathing or severe coughing, high-pitched, croup-like, or whooping sound after coughing. • SORE THROAT: with or without fever, with or without white spots on the throat. • SKIN PROBLEMS: Rashes and sores, with or without fever illness, such as chicken pox, measles, etc. • PINK EYE (Conjunctivitis): Watering, irritation and redness of the white part of the eye and/or the lining of the eyelids, and/or pus-like discharge. Pink Eye is extremely contagious. The child is contagious from the onset of signs and symptoms and while the eye is still red and/or draining. Signs of any symptoms must be “gone” for at least 24 hours before the child returns to school. Careful hand washing after contact with discharge from the eyes or articles soiled with the discharge is necessary. This must be treated with medication from a physician. • HEAD LICE: a child must remain at home until treated and no live lice are visible; upon return to school, school personnel will check the student. • PROLONGED HEADACHE OR STOMACHACHE • SWELLING OR PAIN: at a level that may interfere with learning.

Medication Designated administrative staff is available to dispense medications. A medication form must be completed and accompany the medicine in its original container with the doctor’s prescription. We may not administer medication that has been transferred from the original container. Also, absolutely NO “over the counter” drugs except Tylenol will be accepted without a doctor’s prescription. All medication and permission slips must be brought to the main office. Medication forms are not valid from one year to the next, and, according to state law, parents/guardians must update those permission forms annually. A student is never allowed to keep medication in his/her personal possession.

Blood Borne Pathogens Exposure Control Plan Universal Precautions are observed at Summit School in order to prevent contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials. All blood or other potentially infectious material is considered infectious regardless of the perceived status of the source individual.

Reporting Infectious Diseases and Treatment of Serious Medical Conditions We make every effort to keep Summit School a healthy and happy environment for all children. Parents/guardians must notify the school of any diagnosis of a contagious disease or illness. In return, the school sends parents/guardians a written information sheet listing any communicable diseases that occur among the children, as well as specific guidelines for their return to school following the illness. Parents/guardians are required to notify the office within twenty-four hours if a doctor diagnoses their child as having a contagious disease while attending our school. Also report any information when a child is hospitalized or receiving treatment for a serious medical condition. This information will be treated confidentially and shared with others on a need to know basis.

Hand Washing Staff, volunteers, visitors, families and children wash their hands: • Upon arrival at school • After using the toilet • Before and after handling food, before and after all meal times

Page 20 of 51 September 2017 • After blowing their nose or coming into contact with any bodily fluid • After cleaning and disposing of garbage in the classroom • After outdoor play in sand, water or on the field • after playing in water that is shared by two or more people • After handling all pets and/or animals • After assisting a child with toileting • Before and after administering medication • Staff members and those children who are developmentally able to learn personal hygiene are taught hand-washing procedures and are periodically monitored. • Hand washing is required by all staff, volunteers, and children when hand washing would reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases to themselves and to others. • Staff assists children with hand washing as needed to successfully complete the task. Children wash either independently or with staff assistance. • Proper hand washing procedures are followed by staff, families and children and include: • Using liquid or foam soap and running water • Vigorous rubbing for at least 10 seconds including all surfaces on hands and under fingernails • Turning off water with a paper towel (this is an emerging practice) • Staff wears gloves when handling any materials/skin that has blood on it • Hand washing sinks are not to come into contact with fecal matter or food products • Except when handling blood or body fluids that might contain blood (when wearing gloves is required), wearing gloves is an optional supplement, but not a substitute, for hand washing in any required handwashing situation listed above.

Oral Hygiene If you would like your child to brush their teeth after lunch, please send a toothbrush in a labeled Ziploc bag and give it to your child’s teacher. Children will be provided with oral care opportunities daily.

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

Minor Injuries Minor injuries happen to children, and every educator is trained and certified in first aid and CPR. The staff treats minor injuries requiring no more than soap and water, a bandage, and a little loving care. Parents/guardians are called when appropriate.

Serious Injuries The school will call you immediately to report any injury to the face or head and other serious injuries requiring further care or medical treatment. The supervising staff member also will file an accident report.

911 If a serious illness or accident occurs, school personnel call 911 for assistance and evaluation. Parents/guardians are also called as soon as possible. If the EMT personnel decides to transport your child to the nearest emergency medical facility and you are not at the school yet, a teacher or staff person will accompany the child to the emergency medical facility along with the blue emergency card.

Fire and Disaster Drills The specific procedures for fire drills and other disasters/emergencies requiring evacuation of the buildings are posted in each area of the school. Fire and/or disaster drills are conducted monthly in order to prepare students and staff in the proper procedures.

Utility Outages If a power or water outage occurs, the Head of School evaluates the extent of the disruption of the school day. In some instances, this disruption may require closing the school, and we then notify you of the plans. If we close the school, we expect you or someone listed on the Emergency Card to pick up your child as soon as possible.

Page 21 of 51 September 2017 Cancellation of School Serious emergencies due to weather or national emergency may warrant the cancellation of all school programs. If dangerous conditions require closing the school early, we ask parents/guardians to pick up their children. Staff members supervise until all children have been picked up.

ACADEMIC GUIDELINES

PRESCHOOL

Personal Education Plans (P.E.P.) P.E.P. Philosophy Every child has gifts and talents. We accept the challenge to find and nurture these qualities in each child.

The Personal Education Plan is both a process and a product. It is a process that begins as the child enters school and continues throughout the school years at Summit. This plan is a result of the parent-teachers partnership built upon open, honest, and frequent communication.

The P.E.P. is developed specifically for a child’s educational growth. The Summit educational program recognizes that:

• Each child is special and learns in his/her own way • Parents need to be involved in their child’s education • Every child needs to feel good about who he or she is • Students must show mastery of basic skills • Each child should be challenged at his or her own level • Learning should be a lifelong experience

The Personal Education Plan product is a thorough collection of information about the student which remains with the student throughout his/her school years at Summit. This collection becomes a complete picture of a student’s educational growth. The elements of the P.E.P. collection include:

• An area of focus determined by parents and teachers • Documentation of how goals related to the area of focus were met • Identification of a student’s learning style. • Detailed progress reports outlining developmental achievements and activities related to them. • Samples of the student’s creative work • Pictures that capture the day in the life of Summit student

The P.E.P. is a guide to achievement and a process that changes as the needs of the child change. P.E.P. conferences are a continuous process while a student attends Summit. Parents and teachers will meet three times throughout the school year.

Lesson Plans Weekly lesson plans are posted outside of each preschool classroom on the large parent information bulletin board. Curriculum goals and objectives are posted next to the lesson plans to provide a reference for goals and objectives listed in lesson plan activities.

First Conference All students will have an initial meeting with their family and their teachers in August, prior to the first day of school. This meeting is 15-20 minutes. In Preschool, this will be an informal time where the child and parents can meet the teachers, look around the room, and become acquainted. Parents will return questionnaires they received in July. This information will be used along with teacher observations to help identify an area of focus in September. Children are also encouraged to find their cubby, giving them an immediate sense of ownership in the classroom.

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Second Conference This fall conference is scheduled 6-9 weeks after the start of school. This date will fall during the last week of September. Please check with the school calendar for this year’s specific conference dates. In Preschool, parents and teachers will determine an Area of Focus or student learning goal based upon their observations to date. The Creative Curriculum Objectives for Development and Learning will be used to guide conversation. A fall follow-up letter will then be prepared confirming the Area of Focus/goal and identifying supportive strategies and given to the parents after the conference.

Formal Progress Reports will be mailed home in January

Third Conference: Portfolio Review This conference is scheduled during the first week in May. This is a time to reflect on a child’s growth and development by reviewing their portfolio. Together parents and teachers will discuss: • Behavioral, social, and emotional growth • Cognitive development

Final Progress Reports will be mailed home in June.

Screenings Preschool students may be screened using the ESI-P and ESI-K throughout the year to determine if individual development of each child is in alignment with widely held expectations. Students are also able to receive speech/language screenings for services as well. If a child is in need of services, parents are contacted and given resources in conjunction with school support to meet each child’s needs.

Assessments Our preschool curriculum provides an online database- teachingstrategies.com. Teachers enter both formal and informal data here through anecdotal notes, formal assessment tools, and seasonal checkpoints of the curriculum’s objectives for learning. Teachers share some of this information with families through online journaling and sharing features of this online tool. Daily observations, developmental progress and assessment data will be shared twice a year through progress reports and portfolio sharing.

Transitions to a New Classroom Students who are kindergarten eligible will visit one of Summit’s kindergarten classes in January. They will be accompanied by one of the classroom teachers and will shadow a current kindergarten student that morning. Summit offers a pre-k camp as well during the summer that emphasizes the transitions and activities that make for a seamless transition to kindergarten. Summit also provides a book of activities and transitional ideas for students who will be continuing on to kindergarten at a different school.

Students moving from a three-day class to a five-day class will have an opportunity to meet with their new teachers and spend time in their new classroom. In all transitional circumstances, both the sending and receiving teachers will have an articulation meeting to share student information and to continue the strong student/teacher/parent relationship.

ELEMENTARY

STUDENT PROGRESS REPORTING SYSTEM: The purpose of the progress reporting system is to communicate with parents and provide timely information regarding each student’s progress using the following personalized tools:

Personalized Education Plan (PEP): The P.E.P. is at the heart of our reporting system. It is both a process and a product that promotes and ensures open communication and partnership between school personnel and parents to establish goals and to plan appropriate learning experiences for students.

Page 23 of 51 September 2017 specific language. The grading scale and descriptors are used consistently across grade levels and subjects. Grades K-4 receive standards-based report cards. Grades 5-8 receive letter grades report cards.

Conferences: Formal conferences with parents are scheduled two times each year. Teachers will also communicate exceptional accomplishments and/or concerns throughout the year and arrange additional conferences as needed.

Portfolios: Portfolios document student work and growth over time. They provide evidence of achievement toward outcomes and overall student performance, thus enhancing the assessment process.

K-5 Guidelines and Timeline for Parent Communication Regarding Student Growth and Progress:

Beginning of September: Homeroom teachers send home PEP goal recommendations for each student • Recommendations should be discussed with each student in the classroom and at home. • Grades K-2: 2 meaningful PEP goals per student (academic, social or emotional) • Grades 3-5: 3 meaningful PEP goals per student (academic, social or emotional)

Middle of September: Parent Conferences • Purpose of Conference: finalize PEP goals, inform parent of student’s progress in all subject areas with evidence and student work samples to share, and discuss any academic, social or emotional concerns. Teachers should also be prepared to give recommendations on how to follow through with goals at home during this conference. o Examples of evidence and student work samples to share include, but are not limited to, writing assessments, math assessments or quizzes, reading assessments, class work, homework, and math/reading journal entries. o Teacher will draft and send home a document listing recommendations and means of assessment for a student’s goals. • Length of Conference: 20-30 minutes o Please schedule accordingly for a student conference that will require more than 30 minutes. o Specialist Conferences: 10 -15 minutes in length • Student Attendance: Student attendance at conferences is optional. Teachers may request that students be present. Teachers and parents work together to decide what is best for each student and family. • Sign Up for Parent Conferences: All teachers send parent conference sign up exactly 3 weeks in advance by noon. • Specialist Conferences: Homeroom teachers include invitation for parents to reach out to specialists, if they would like to schedule a conference with them, when homeroom teachers send their conference sign up out. Homeroom teacher includes specialist names, subject and email addresses. Specialist teachers can also request a parent conference with specific families or request to be present during the homeroom teacher parent conference. Specialist teachers are in charge of managing and scheduling their conferences. • PEP Follow Up Letter: Send home hard copy of goals within 1 week of conference. This document only needs the goals printed on it. One copy for parents to keep and one copy signed and returned to teacher.

October – December: • It is expected that a teacher will immediately communicate to parents if a student is struggling academically, socially or emotionally.

January: Report cards mailed home and a signed copy is placed in the student’s cumulative folder. • Due dates: Specialist teachers due at 8:00 am the second Monday after break. Homeroom teachers are due at 8:00 am the second Tuesday after break.

Page 24 of 51 September 2017 • Standards Based Grading: Elementary semester report cards will use a standards based report card to report achievement. All scores should be based on end-of-year grade level goals/objectives. • LifeSkills Grades: The LifeSkills section is an important part of the report card. It is an opportunity to highlight a student’s use of the Lifelong Guidelines.

Middle of March: Parent Conferences • Purpose of Conference: follow up and reflect on PEP goals, revise any goals, if needed, update parent on child’s progress academically, socially, and emotionally, show assessment data and student work, and create a plan for a student struggling in any areas o Examples of evidence and student work samples to share include, but are not limited to, writing assessments, math assessments or quizzes, reading assessments, class work, homework, and math/reading journal entries. • Length of Conference: 20-30 minutes o Please schedule accordingly for a student conference that will require more than 30 minutes o Specialist Conferences: 10 -15 minutes in length • Student Attendance: Student attendance at conferences is optional. Teachers may request that students be present. Teachers and parents work together to decide what is best for each student and family. • Google Sign Up for Parent Conferences: All teachers send parent conference sign up exactly 3 weeks in advance by noon. • Specialist Conferences: Homeroom teachers include invitation for parents to reach out to specialists, if they would like to schedule a conference with them, when homeroom teachers send their conference sign up out. Homeroom teacher includes specialist names, subject and email addresses. Specialist teachers can also request a parent conference with specific families or request to be present during the homeroom teacher parent conference. Specialist teachers are in charge of managing and scheduling their conferences.

May: Report cards mailed home and a signed copy is placed in the student’s cumulative folder. • Standards Based Grading: Elementary semester report cards will use a standards based report card to report achievement. All scores should be based on end-of-year grade level goals/objectives. • LifeSkills Grades: The LifeSkills section is an important part of the report card. It is an opportunity to highlight a student’s use of the Lifelong Guidelines. • Narrative Comments: Report card comments are expected to be specific and include personalized observations about each individual. Blanket or stock statements/paragraphs should not be used. The student’s strengths and areas for improvement should be described as opposed to the curriculum described. o Grade level teams can elect to include theme/social studies comments in the social studies comment box or within the reading and/or writing sections. o Length Guideline for Narrative Comments: . Math, Reading, Writing, and Lifeskills: about 500 -650-character count . Social Studies and Listening/Speaking: about 200 - 300-character count . Specials Areas: about 300 - 400-character count . For students who require a significantly longer narrative comment, an additional parent meeting should be scheduled to discuss specific concerns.

PEP Goals Through the Year: • Students should reflect on their PEP goals at least once per quarter. • Student and teacher work together to collect evidence for mastery of goal or working towards goal throughout the year to put in portfolio. • Goals can be revised throughout the year if needed by parent, teacher or student initiation. • At end of school year, print off goal sheet and place in Literacy Binder under PEP tab. • Specialists may request students’ or class’ PEP goals from the homeroom teacher so that they may support the PEP goals in their class.

Page 25 of 51 September 2017 End-of-Year Portfolios Grades K-5

Student Portfolio Sharing and Celebration of Learning All K-8 students will be provided time for practice and be prepared by their classroom teacher to lead a portfolio sharing with their parents at home. During the last full week of school, students will go home with their portfolio and a "portfolio sharing guide document" and will be expected to present their portfolio sharing assignment to at least one adult. The portfolio sharing guide will be a document that helps guide the students in leading their portfolio share. Each student will return their "portfolio guide document" to their homeroom teacher signed by their parent(s).

Report Cards and Grades Students in grades K-4 do not receive formal letter grades. Students in grades 5 and higher receive report cards with A-F grades in all classes two times a year along with separate effort grades. The letter grade is meant to be reflective of actual achievement in relation to national and state standards, while the effort grade reflects a teacher’s impression as to the amount of effort exerted during that same marking period. Effort is considered extremely important at Summit School.

Mastery of all content and skills is the goal, and therefore there is a high standard when grading.

Grade 5: Academic Scale 100-90 – A 89-80 – B 79-70 – C 69-60 – D Below 60 -- Failing

Effort Scale 5- Outstanding 4- Good 3- Satisfactory 2- Needs Improvement 1- Unsatisfactory

Deadlines and Due Dates Individual teachers determine the due dates for papers and class assignments. Penalties for lateness will also be determined by individual teachers and may vary according to grade level. Failure to complete work assigned may result in the loss of free time or another consequence. Teachers are available for guidance and extra help, and students should learn to take advantage of this resource if assignment specifics are unclear to them. The classroom teacher will contact parents if failure to complete homework becomes an issue, and they will work with the student to develop a plan to make up work and foster better work habits.

Work handed in late (within an acceptable time) due to an excused absence such as illness will not be penalized. For example, one day absent merits one extra day to complete work. If a child is at home, a parent may call the school office before noon and request work. Assignments are then gathered and held for parent pick-up at the end of the school day or faxed, if requested, at that same time. However, it is important to remember that if the child is sick enough to be home, he/she may not be able to do schoolwork until he/she feels better.

Home Learning At Summit School, students are given opportunities to reinforce classroom learning at home. We choose to call it Home Learning because these assignments support and enhance our academic instructional program. Home Learning is relevant, planned, and often individualized. Home learning may differentiated when appropriate. There are four types of Home Learning:

1. Practice-This helps students master skills but should not be boring and repetitive. Whenever possible, students should apply skills that have been learned rather than completing a worksheet. (Students cannot apply what they do not understand.) Assignments are not always the same for every child and often involve choices; this encourages responsibility.

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2. Preparation-This gets the students ready for something that is coming up in the curriculum. It should be challenging and help students develop the motivation to learn the new material. In general, it should not be anything rote or unimaginative.

3. Extension-This type has students go above and beyond what was learned in class and is usually self- initiated. Extension Home Learning emphasizes production versus re-production.

4. Creative-These assignments challenge students to think critically and creatively. They problem solve and respond in a personal way to this type of Home Learning.

Because we value family and leisure time, most of Summit Home Learning is designed to take place four nights per normal week, Monday through Thursday, and not on weekends, holidays, or breaks. (Since Home Learning is optional in kindergarten, often the assignments may be done over the weekend.)

Targets Kindergarten 10-20 minutes per week* Grade 1 30-40 minutes per week* Grade 2 50-60 minutes per week* Grade 3 60-80 minutes per week* Grade 4 80-100 minutes per week* Grade 5 120-140 minutes per week*

*Additional reading practice is also often assigned and recorded.

IMPORTANT: Of course, some projects or assignments take more time than others, but parents should be able to tell if their child regularly spends too much or too little time on homework and contact the classroom teacher to discuss the situation.

Home Learning Request When students are absent from school for a day or more, parents may call the school and request assignments. The request for assignments must be made before noon, and parents are encouraged to call the office or homeroom teacher again at 3:00 PM to see if any teachers have sent in work to be picked up. It is up to each teacher’s discretion as to whether to send work home when the student is absent. Often the student requires the benefit of an explanation, additional resources or materials, numerous examples, guided practice, etc. before attempting independent work. In this case, students will be given time to do the work and assistance when they return to school.

Tutoring At times students may benefit from tutoring. Tutorial help given to a student before and after class during a teacher’s work day hours is encouraged. No extra fee is required by the School, because such help is considered part of Summit’s responsibility to the student and family.

Teachers and/or parents may recommend that a student receive additional support. Summit teachers, instructional assistants and staff are free to tutor students before, during or after their professional day during the school year as long as it does not conflict with other commitments, such as faculty meetings, committee work, etc.

Parents occasionally contract with private tutors to help their child. Any private tutoring provided by non-school personnel, on the Summit campus must be approved by the Head of School.

Academic Integrity • Students are held accountable to be fully prepared for quizzes and tests. Cheating is not allowed and results in a loss of credit. Repeated violations may result in other consequences such as loss of privileges, suspension, and even disenrollment. Students are responsible for their own homework and other individual work. • Plagiarism, defined as “the using of another’s words and ideas and passing them off as your own,” is wrong. Whether these words or ideas are from books, magazines or the Internet, using another author’s work without giving proper credit is a serious violation. Plagiarism results in a zero grade for the test, project, or

Page 27 of 51 September 2017 assignment; the student is also required to do the assignment honestly. Other consequences may also be imposed. The teacher will make the final determination as to whether an assignment is plagiarized.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Overview The Summit School academic curriculum follows the generally-accepted requirements for middle school accreditation and the recommendations of numerous national task forces, studies, and middle school associations. Our middle school includes grades 6, 7, and 8. Classes are departmentalized and are taught by experienced, specialized teachers. They include the following:

1. Language Arts (writing, grammar, usage, mechanics, vocabulary, and spelling)- 45 minutes, five days per week 2. Literature (reading, book projects, library instruction, literary analysis and appreciation)- 45 minutes, five days per week 3. Math- 45 minutes, 6 times per week 4. Science- 45 minutes, 4 times per week (This includes three weeks of Family Life sex education each year.) 5. Social Studies- 45 minutes, 3 times per week 6. Spanish- 45 minutes, 4 times per week 7. Electives- 45 minutes, 4 days per week 8. Life Skills- 45 minutes, 1 time per week which includes the following topics:

Daily Schedule There are seven periods in the school day. The school hours are 8:15 AM – 3:20 PM.

Period Time 1 8:20-9:05 2 9:08-9:53 3 9:56-10:51 4 10:54-11:39 Lunch 11:42-12:27 5 12:30-1:15 6 1:18-2:03 7 2:06-2:51 Homeroom 2:54-3:15

Personalized Education Plan (PEP): The PEP is at the heart of our reporting system. It is both a process and a product that promotes and ensures open communication and partnership between school personnel and parents to establish goals and to plan appropriate learning experiences for students.

PEP Process: • The middle school PEP goal setting process will take place in their Life Skills class. After drafting a meaningful and specific goal for each subject, the students will have each middle school teacher review and approve their goals. In Life Skills class, middle school students will prioritize their goals and choose the 3-5 most important goals. Before finalizing their PEP goals, each student will share their potential goals with their parents for feedback. • Each departmentalized teacher will be responsible for requesting students to share their PEP goals that pertain to their content area so that the teacher can help the student reach their goal and help them collect evidence and work samples that illustrate their goal work for their portfolio. • The goals are reviewed and reflected upon quarterly in Life Skills class.

Report Cards: All students receive a report card two times a year at the conclusion of the semester. It is intended to report the degree of progress toward grade level standards and growth over time as well as strengths and weaknesses, in order to authentically represent the whole child. Each student report is based on a variety of Page 28 of 51 September 2017 valid assessment tools. Progress is communicated effectively and clearly using precise and specific language. The grading scale and descriptors are used consistently across grade levels and subjects. Grades 5-8 receive letter grades report cards.

Conferences: Formal conferences with parents are scheduled two times each year. Teachers are expected to communicate exceptional accomplishments and/or concerns throughout the year and arrange additional conferences as needed.

Portfolios: Portfolios document student work and growth over time. They provide evidence of achievement toward outcomes and overall student performance, thus enhancing the assessment process.

6-8 Guidelines and Timeline for Parent Communication Regarding Student Growth and Progress:

1st Semester Teachers develop PEP goals with individual students • PEP goals should be discussed with each student in the classroom and at home before finalizing goals. • 3-5 meaningful PEP goals per student (academic, social and/or emotional)

Parent Conferences • Purpose of Conference: finalize PEP goals, inform parent of student’s progress in all subject areas with evidence and student work samples to share, and discuss any academic, social or emotional concerns. Teachers should also be prepared to give recommendations on how to follow through with goals at home during this conference. • Examples of evidence and student work samples to share include, but are not limited to, writing assessments, math assessments or quizzes, reading assessments, class work, homework, and math/reading journal entries. • Google Sign Up for Parent Conferences: Middle School will send parent conference sign up exactly 3 weeks in advance by noon. • Length of Conference: 10 minute blocks of times • Student Attendance: Student attendance at conferences is optional. Teachers may request that students be present. Teachers and parents work together to decide what is best for each student and family. • PEP Follow Up Letter: Send home hard copy of goals prior to conference. This document only needs the goals printed on it. Teachers will send one copy for parents to keep and one copy signed and returned to teacher.

Progress Reports • It is expected that a teacher will communicate to parents prior to reports if a student is struggling academically, socially or emotionally.

2nd Semester Report Cards • Available on ParentsWeb and a copy is placed in the student’s cumulative folder.

Parent Conferences • Purpose of Conference: Update parent on child’s progress academically, socially, and emotionally, show assessment data and student work, and create a plan for a student struggling in any areas • Examples of evidence and student work samples to share include, but are not limited to, writing assessments, math assessments or quizzes, reading assessments, class work, homework, and math/reading journal entries. • Google Sign Up for Parent Conferences: Middle School will send parent conference sign up exactly 3 weeks in advance by noon. • Length of Conference: 10 minute blocks of times • Student Attendance: Student attendance at conferences is optional. Teachers may request that students be present. Teachers and parents work together to decide what is best for each student and family.

Progress Reports

Page 29 of 51 September 2017 • It is expected that a teacher will communicate to parents prior to reports if a student is struggling academically, socially or emotionally.

Report Cards • Available on ParentsWeb and a copy is placed in the student’s cumulative folder. • For students who require a significantly longer narrative comment, an additional parent meeting should be scheduled to discuss specific concerns.

Guidelines for End-of-Year Portfolios Grades K-8

Student Portfolio Sharing and Celebration of Learning All K-8 students will be provided time for practice and be prepared by their classroom teacher to lead a portfolio sharing with their parents at home. During the last full week of school, students will go home with their portfolio and a "portfolio sharing guide document" and will be expected to present their portfolio sharing assignment to at least 1 adult. The portfolio sharing guide will be a document that helps guide the students in leading their portfolio share. Each student will return their "portfolio guide document" to their homeroom teacher signed by their parent(s).

Grades & Grade Reports Students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades receive grade reports with A-F letter grades in core academic classes at the end of each quarter. All middle school students will receive letter grades for their elective classes. Mastery of all content and skills is the objective, and therefore there is a high standard when grading. Effort is considered extremely important at Summit School and students are assessed using the scale below. There are four grade reports during the year and all quarterly and semester grade reports will be available electronically through ParentsWeb. Quarterly grades will be averaged to calculate the semester grade.

Summit School Middle School Grading Scale 98-100 A+ 87-89 B+ 77-79 C+ 67-69 D+ 93-97 A 83-86 B 73-76 C 63-66 D 90-92 A- 80-82 B- 70-72 C- 60-62 D- Below 60 F Summit School Middle School Effort Scale 5- Outstanding 4- Good 3- Satisfactory 2- Needs Improvement 1- Unsatisfactory

Tutoring At times students may benefit from tutoring. Tutorial help given to a student before and after class during a teacher’s work day is encouraged. No extra fee is required by the School, because such help is considered part of the Summit’s responsibility to the student and family.

Parents occasionally contract with private tutors to help their child. Any private tutoring provided by non-school personnel, on the Summit campus must be approved by the Head of School.

Deadlines and Due Dates Individual teachers determine the due dates for papers and class assignments. Penalties for late work will also be determined by the individual teachers and may vary according to grade level and subject. Failure to complete work will result in a zero (0) grade for that assignment. Excessive infractions may result in detention and possible academic probation.

Page 30 of 51 September 2017 Teachers are available for guidance and extra help, and students should take advantage of this resource if assignment specifics are unclear. The classroom teacher will contact parents/guardians if a student is performing poorly on tests or homework. The teacher will work with the student to develop a plan to foster better work habits.

Work submitted late due to an absence will not be penalized, but must be completed. If a child is absent due to illness, a parent/guardian may call the school office before noon and request assignments for that day. It is up to each teacher’s discretion as to whether to send work home when the student is absent. Often the student requires the benefit of an explanation, additional resources or materials, numerous examples, guided practice, etc. before attempting independent work. In this case, students will be given time to do the work and assistance when they return to school. This may occur during recess, after-school or at another convenient time determined by the teacher.

Electives Students in sixth through eighth grades will participate in elective classes. Classes meet four times per week and students will receive a letter grade for this elective class that reflects their participation, attendance and critiques/grades on work produced for the class. Students may be required to complete homework and/or projects outside of elective class time.

Home Learning PHILOSOPHY: At Summit School, students are given opportunities to reinforce classroom learning at home. We choose to call it “home learning” because these assignments support and enhance our academic instructional program. Home learning is relevant, planned, and occasionally individualized. There are four types of home learning:

1. Practice- This helps students master the skills necessary to be successful in the class. These assignments help reinforce the objectives covered in class. 2. Preparation- This gets the students ready for something that is coming up in the curriculum. It should be challenging and help students develop the motivation to learn the new material. 3. Extension- This type has students go above and beyond what was learned in class and is usually self- initiated. 4. Creative- These assignments challenge students to think critically and creatively. They problem solve and respond in a personal way to this type of home learning.

Most of our home learning is designed to take place four nights per normal week, Monday through Thursday, and not on weekends, holidays, or breaks. However, students should expect weekend homework related to long- term projects, upcoming test preparation, make-up work, or any other in-class assignments or activities.

Home Learning Targets Grade 6 200 minutes per week* (50 minutes per night) Grade 7 240 minutes per week* (60 minutes per night) Grade 8 280 minutes per week* (70 minutes per night)

*Additional reading is also assigned and recorded in most classes.

Important: Of course, some projects or assignments take more time than others, but parents should be able to tell if a student regularly spends too much or too little time on home learning and should contact the classroom teachers to discuss the problems or concern.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY It is the practice of Summit School of Ahwatukee to facilitate honesty and integrity among the student body. Students must work to be successful in the classroom with each student’s success based upon his/her own merit. To this end, academic misconduct of any kind is unacceptable. The definition of academic misconduct can include, but is not be limited to: • giving or receiving of unauthorized aid on examinations or in the preparing of notebooks, compositions, reports or other assignments • knowingly misrepresenting the source of any academic work • unauthorized changing of grades • unauthorized use of school approvals or forging of signatures

Page 31 of 51 September 2017 • plagiarizing of another’s work • otherwise acting dishonestly in the classroom

Any breach in the academic integrity policy will result in immediate consequences. In addition, the parent/guardian will be notified at that time.

Examples which violate academic integrity: • Cheating – giving, using, or attempting to see unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids, or other devices in any academic exercise including unauthorized communication of information. • Fabrication and Falsification – unauthorized alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. • Plagiarism – knowingly presenting the work of another as one’s own (i.e. without proper acknowledgement of the source). This includes the use of internet sources. The sole exception to the requirement of acknowledging sources is when the ideas or information is common knowledge. • Facilitating Academic Misconduct – giving or attempting to help another commit an act of academic misconduct. • Tampering with Materials, Grades, or Records – interfering with, altering, or attempting to alter school records, grades or other documents without authorization from an appropriate school official for the purpose of changing, falsifying, or removing the original information found in such records. • Copyright Laws – all applicable copyright laws will be in effect as related to both computer software and printed books and materials.

Participation in Student Council and Summit School Sports Program Students must be in good academic (quarterly grades of C- or above in core classes) and behavioral standing (no more than two detentions in a quarter) in all classes in order to participate in Student Council and sports programs at Summit School. Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation will be prohibited from participating in Student Council or Summit Sports until removed from the probationary or warning status.

Academic Warning We want all students to succeed and flourish at Summit School. We encourage students to seek out their teachers and take advantage of opportunities to be successful. A student who earns one D on a quarterly grade report is placed on academic warning. As the name implies, this is an indication of the need to improve. Students are removed from academic warning by earning a C grade or above on the next quarterly report.

If the student is placed on academic warning, parents/guardians are notified and a conference is held with the student, parents/guardians, and teachers. At this time, an individual improvement plan is created by the teacher to establish clearly defined goals and a plan for the student to be removed from academic warning. This plan must be agreed upon and signed by all parties involved including: Head of School, teacher, parent and student.

It is the responsibility of the students and parent/guardians to meet all requirements of the individual working plan for the student. If these requirements are not sufficiently met and there are continued academic concerns, the student will be placed on academic probation.

Academic Probation A student who earns one F on any grade report and/or one D as a semester grade is placed on academic probation. The student may be removed from academic probation and placed on academic warning at the recommendation of the student’s teachers and with the approval of the Head of School upon completion of the following quarter.

If the student is placed on academic probation, parents/guardians are notified and a conference is held with the student, parents/guardians, teachers, and Head of School. An individual improvement plan will be developed by the teacher and will be implemented immediately. This plan must be agreed upon and signed by all parties involved including: Head of School, teacher, parent and student. It is the responsibility of the students, teachers and parents/guardians to meet all requirements of the individual improvement plan for the student. After further assessment, if these requirements are not sufficiently met and there are continued academic concerns, this may be an indication that Summit School and the student is not a good match. In this case, the Head of School may recommend that the student be asked to withdraw or not be offered the opportunity to re- enroll at Summit School.

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Morning Meeting As a way of showcasing achievements, sharing learning, and building a sense of community, all students participate in Morning Meetings. These are held in the Multipurpose Room. Parents, family and friends are always welcome. In addition to the class presentations, there are general school announcements, a patriotic observance, a moment of silence, and birthday recognitions. The school community will gather on Wednesday mornings. Classes take turns presenting topics and learning from the previous month. You will receive advance notice when your child’s class is presenting. If you arrive after your child’s class has left for Morning Meeting, please wait with your child in their classroom or walk them to the interior entrance of the Multipurpose Room. Children will need to stay in the back of the room with a staff if they arrive late and will not be able to join their class until there is an appropriate break in the Morning Meeting for this transition. All students Preschool – 8th grade will participate together in Morning Meetings on Wednesdays 8:20-9:00am.

Testing Students in grades 3-8 participate in standards-based state assessments. The individual results are shared with parents and teachers; school composite scores are shared with the general Summit community. These tests are an important part of the information that we gather regarding the student’s academic potential and performance.

Promotion and Retention • Promotion from one grade to the next in grades K-8 is based upon an assessment of whether the student can be successful at the next grade level. Working closely with the Head of School, teachers formulate their recommendations based upon: o Achievement on tests, quizzes, projects, presentations, etc. o Mastery of standards as evaluated on progress reports. o Achievement on standardized tests, as applicable. o Effort, maturity, and age.

Each student’s progress is considered individually, and decisions regarding retention are made only after careful study and consideration of all factors. If retention is recommended, parents and school personnel work closely together in the best interest of the student. Students who score poorly on tests and/or do not meet state standards may be put on academic probation the following year, and additional resources/assistance such as outside tutoring may be required by the school. In some cases, it is in the best interest of the student to attend school elsewhere, and the student will be dis-enrolled.

BEHAVIOR GUIDELINES: Character and Discipline

Philosophy The staff and parents of the Summit School of Ahwatukee are committed to creating a safe, positive, and challenging learning environment which will enable our students to acquire a solid knowledge base and develop a sense of themselves as life-long learners, skillful decision makers, and responsible citizens. Students are expected to demonstrate responsible behavior and demonstrate growth in their capacity for self-control and self-management. Children must know what is expected of them and what they can expect at school. We believe that behavior guidelines should combine character education and positive discipline to create an environment where students can focus on learning.

Character Education

The C.A.R.E.: Character and Respect Education program is a comprehensive school-wide plan (Preschool through 8th grade) to increase Summit students’ demonstration of proficiency in character traits as well as to increase compassion, caring, and cooperation throughout the school. The core elements of the program are:

C.A.R.E. Positive Discipline Program in Preschool The C.A.R.E. program in preschool is part of the larger, school wide, approach to guiding children as they learn to make good choices and grow into responsible citizens. The basic core elements include:

• Defining and teaching the children our expectations for their behavior

Page 33 of 51 September 2017 • Coaching and re-teaching as there is a lot to learn!

Recognizing children who are making good choices and meeting expectations using the Preschool Behavior Matrix as a guide, the teachers have been slowly introducing expectations for behavior at different times and in different places. We also started the process of brainstorming rules for each class. Through the many teachable moments that occur when a group of young children are together, the teachers help children understand what it looks like to:

• Be safe • Be responsible • Be respectful • Be an active listener • Do their personal best

CODE OF CONDUCT In order to safeguard the rights and well-being of all students, all students are expected to follow these rules. Staff members enforce the rules at school, and we ask that parents support these expectations both at home and at school.

RESPECT YOURSELF • I will arrive on time and attend school every day that I am able. • I will bring my materials and come ready to learn. • I will follow the dress code. • I will be cooperative in class and contribute in a positive way to the classroom. • I will only turn in school work that is my own; I will not copy the work of others. I will not cheat on tests, either by giving or receiving answers. • I will use the computer responsibly. • I agree to resolve my anger in a civilized way. I will keep my hands and feet to myself and will not physically assault or endanger another individual.

RESPECT OTHERS • I will treat others with respect. I will speak courteously to teachers, staff, parents, visitors, and other students. I will not make degrading, racist, or humiliating jokes. I will not make unwelcome or offensive sexual remarks, demands, or advances. • I will not tease, name-call, swear, curse, or harass another individual. • I will respect the learning environment by speaking quietly in the classroom and other areas of school. I will avoid creating problems for others and myself. • I will not disrupt learning or teaching. • RESPECT PROPERTY • I will respect school property and not damage objects, buildings, or materials belonging to the school or others. I will throw garbage in a trashcan and not in my locker or on school grounds. • I will keep my hands to myself and respect the property of others. • I will take care of my books and the classroom property.

SAFETY • I will may not hurt themselves, others, or things. • I will may not interfere with the learning of others. • I will must move safely through the building and grounds.

Safety on Playgrounds and in the School A playground is an important part of a child’s learning environment. It is a place in which students can strengthen their bodies, develop group skills, and have fun. However, a playground must be a safe environment for all. School personnel are responsible for the safety of all children on the playground or in the school. Each teacher reviews and teaches appropriate safety rules for the children. All playground equipment is inspected regularly for safety.

Page 34 of 51 September 2017 Safety on Buses and Other Vehicles We make every effort to ensure that your child has safe and pleasant transportation during field trips. We instruct the children in passenger safety and courtesy, so that they always treat the driver and all other passengers with respect. Riding in a bus or in another person’s car is a privilege, and any student who repeatedly causes problems will not be allowed on future field trips. Students must behave in a civilized, respectful manner for the safety and well-being of all passengers. Eating is never allowed on a bus or another person’s car. The driver has complete authority, and all school rules are in effect to and from school.

C.A.R.E. Positive Discipline Program in K-8

Lifelong Guidelines: These operate as the Summit school rules. Monthly Character Traits: A monthly school-wide teaching focus.

Lifelong Guidelines Operational Definition Be Safe To behave in a way that keeps yourself, others, and property free from danger, hurt, injury, or risk Be Respectful To show consideration for self, others, and the environment Be Responsible To be accountable for your actions and words

Do Your Personal Best To give 100% by giving your all and challenging yourself Be an Active Listener To listen with both your head and your heart in order to hear both the feeling and the content of what someone is saying

Month Character Traits Operational Definition August Lifelong Guidelines See above September Self-Control To think about the consequences for yourself and others before taking action or using words October Citizenship To focus on the good of the community above your own interests and actively work to improve your community November Cooperation To work together toward a common goal/purpose December Empathy To put yourself in someone else’s place and understand how they feel January Adaptability To change or adapt to new situations or people, including learning new ways to express yourself in a socially acceptable way February Kindness To support and comfort others just for the sake of making someone else’s life better March Perseverance To continue in spite of difficulties April Integrity To be truthful and sincere, and to do the right thing May Review As needed

Positive Discipline Process: Developing Responsibility and Self-Discipline

The C.A.R.E.: Positive Discipline program is a systems approach to establishing the social culture and behavioral supports needed for all children at Summit to achieve both social and academic success. C.A.R.E. positive discipline is a researched based approach, but an approach that defines core elements that can be achieved using a variety of strategies. The core elements of the program are: Behavioral Expectations Defined Behavioral Expectations Taught Reward system for appropriate behavior Continuum of consequences for problem behavior Continuous collection and use of data for decision-making

SCHOOL RULES & EXPECTATIONS Five simple rules are at the heart of all of the classroom rules, expectations, and guidelines for student conduct:

• Be safe. • Be responsible. Page 35 of 51 September 2017 • Be respectful. • Be an active listener. • Do your personal best.

A behavior matrix is used to teach these rules and how they are followed throughout the school. Ask your child’s teacher for a copy of the matrix.

Positive Discipline Process: In order to help all of our students learn self-discipline, personal and social responsibility; and positive character habits we use a positive discipline process that protects the rights of all students. This process includes:

1. Teacher and Staff Responsibilities – Helping students understand the difference between appropriate behavior and misbehavior starts with teaching students about rights, responsibilities and consequences. All teachers and staff members are responsible for teaching all students the expected behaviors for the classroom and the common areas of the school; teaching the difference between minor and major problem behaviors; recognizing and rewarding appropriate behaviors when they occur; and taking action to re-teach, correct inappropriate behavior, resolve problems and follow through with established consequences.

2. Recognizing and Rewarding Appropriate Behaviors – Every teacher is responsible for using multiple strategies for recognizing and rewarding students for meeting expectations and displaying behaviors that embody Summit’s Lifelong Guidelines. Strategies include: specific verbal feedback, CARE tickets, personal notes, phone calls to parents, special privileges, and any other means that personally reward the student and strengthen behaviors and relationships. Our staff members are watching for students who demonstrate appropriate behavioral expectations. Those students can be rewarded with various positive forms of reinforcers, recognition and rewards at school.

3. Common Area Supervision and Consequences – Teachers and staff who supervise the cafeteria, playground, courtyard and common areas should emphasize catching students following the rules and using strategies for recognizing and rewarding students for meeting expectations. When a student misbehaves staff use verbal reminders and re-teach. Major problem behaviors are referred to the office using the Office Discipline Report.

4. Classroom Consequences – If a student is engaged in inappropriate behaviors, the student’s teacher will decide if it is a major or minor infraction. If it is minor, the teacher will re-teach the expected behavior and handle the behavior in his/her classroom as necessary. Actions which may be taken include the following: verbal reminder, re-teaching, in-class refocus plan, out-of-class refocus plan, phone call to parents, detention and office discipline report. If a behavior is major, that student will be sent to the office with a referral and administration will decide consequences. For an explanation classroom expectations and major/minor behaviors, please see your child’s teacher.

5. Office Discipline Report - If a teacher needs additional support with a child’s misbehavior due to a major problem behavior or chronic minor infractions, the teacher prepares an Office Discipline Report and the student is sent to the Head of School or his designee. Depending on the severity of the problem, the parent may be asked to pick up the child for the remainder of the day. Any deliberate action that leads to an injury is grounds for being sent home immediately. Physical aggression is not acceptable and may also lead to the student being sent home. Consequences up to and including suspension and disenrollment may take place at any time at the discretion of the Head of School.

Serious Violations The following violations are subject to review of the Head of School and may result in consequences up to and including suspension and disenrollment. • Disrespect or Defiance – Disrespectful or defiant behavior is defined as the direct and immediate refusal to comply with a reasonable adult instruction within a specified period of time. • Threats or Threatening Behavior – Threatening words and/or actions are taken seriously and seen as harmful to the well-being of others and the school. • Bullying Behavior – Cruel, hurtful words and behaviors are taken very seriously. This includes hitting, punching, kicking, biting, slapping, pushing, pinching, tripping, spitting, etc.

Page 36 of 51 September 2017 • Physical Assault – Physical attack on another person; recklessly causing any physical injury to another person; intentionally placing another person in reasonable fear of physical injury; knowingly touching another person with the intent to injure, insult or provoke the person. • Vandalism and Stealing – Removing school or personal materials without permission is considered stealing. Willful destruction or abuse of private or school property is considered vandalism. • Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco – The possession, use, sale, distribution, and/or purchase of alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription, medication, cigarettes, or any other substance related to these (including matches, lighters or paraphernalia) are never allowed. • Weapons – No weapon of any kind (real or fake), including knives, cap guns, and toy guns, is ever permitted on campus. • Gambling – Gambling of any sort is prohibited. • Leaving Campus- Leaving the schools grounds without following the school check-out procedure.

Summit Anti-Bully Policy We are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all of our students so they can learn in a nurturing and secure atmosphere. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at our school. If bullying does occur, all students should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively. We are a “telling” school. This means that anyone (student, staff, and/or parents) who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell a member of the staff.

What Is Bullying? The United States Department of Justice’s defines bullying.” Bullying encompasses a variety of negative acts repeated over time that involve a real or perceived imbalance of power, with the more powerful child or group attacking those who are less powerful. Bullying can be physical (e.g. spitting, pushing, stealing, hitting, and kicking), verbal (e.g. name calling, teasing, taunting, and making threats) and psychological (e.g. social exclusion, extortion, intimidation, spreading rumors, and manipulating social relationships.)”

In addition, bullying can be: Emotional being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting (e.g. hiding books, threatening gestures)

Physical pushing, kicking, hitting, punching or any use of violence

Racist racial taunts, graffiti, gestures

Sexual unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments

Homophobic because of, or focusing on the issue of sexuality

Verbal name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumors, teasing

Cyber all areas of Internet, such as email, social media and online communication. This includes all verbal and written communication, such as text messages or apps, using a mobile device.

Comments or actions referred to as “joking”, “kidding”, or “playing around” will not be an excusable reason for the bullying actions.

Why is it Important to Respond to Bullying? Bullying hurts. No one deserves to be a victim of bullying. Everybody has the right to be treated with respect. Students who are bullying need to learn different ways of behaving.

Schools have a responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to issues of bullying.

Objectives of the Bullying Policy • All administrators, teaching and non-teaching staff, students, and parents should have an understanding of what bullying is. • All administrators and teaching and non-teaching staff should know what the school policy is on bullying, and follow it when bullying is reported. • All students and parents should know what the school policy is on bullying, and what they should do if bullying arises. • As a school, we take bullying seriously. Students and parents should be assured that they will be supported when bullying is reported.

Page 37 of 51 September 2017 • Bullying will not be tolerated at Summit School.

Signs and Symptoms A child may indicate by signs or behavior that he or she is being bullied. Adults should be aware of these possible signs and that they should investigate if a child: • changes their usual routine • is unwilling to go to school (school phobic) • becomes withdrawn, anxious, or lacking in confidence • starts stammering • thinks or speaks about harming himself/herself or others • cries themselves to sleep at night or has nightmares • feels ill in the morning • begins to do poorly on school work • comes home with clothes torn or books damaged • has possessions which are damaged or “go missing” • asks for money or starts stealing money (to pay the bully) • has unexplained cuts or bruises • comes home starving (lunch has been stolen) • becomes aggressive, disruptive or unreasonable • is bullying other children or siblings • stops eating • is frightened to say what is wrong • gives improbable excuses for any of the above • is afraid to use the Internet or mobile phone • is nervous and jumpy when mobile or cyber messages are received

These signs and behaviors could indicate other problems, but bullying should be considered a possibility and should be investigated.

If You Suspect that Your Child is Being Bullied You Should… • Talk to your child and try to find out what the problem is. • Contact the school and request an appointment with your child’s homeroom teacher. • Remember, there are always two sides to any problem and we must look at all problems from all sides.

We will discuss the problem with you and design a plan of action to suit the situation. We will work together to make students aware that bullying is not tolerated.

School Procedures for Bullying Concerns: 1. Report bullying incident to a member of the staff. 2. In cases of serious bullying, the incidents will be recorded by staff in writing. 3. If a second written report takes place, a parent conference will occur. 4. A third incident will result in suspension. 5. Continued bullying after suspension or any act of violence may result in expulsion. 6. If necessary and appropriate, police will be consulted.

Technology Expectations

Internet Usage Students are expected to utilize technology for appropriate educational experiences. Technology should be considered one additional tool for students and educators to increase learning. Students working with technology must have appropriate behaviors. Violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action and may also result in loss of computer privileges.

Community Standards and Personal Responsibility The use of the school's resources for network, e-mail, and Internet access is a privilege, and its availability depends upon the observance of the policies and guidelines stated below. Students in all grades and other persons who use personal and Internet facilities at the School are to adhere to the expectations.

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Students should consult a teacher if in doubt as to whether specific information or activities are appropriate. Proper behavior is solely the responsibility of the students or other individuals using the school's communication system.

Permissible and Proscribed Uses • Use of the campus network and the Internet is for educational and communication purposes only. Playing or accessing games, receiving or communicating inappropriate materials (such as pornography or music containing vulgar language) in any form is forbidden. The following are also forbidden: • Engaging in recreational "chats." • Transferring or possessing viruses or inappropriate, illegal, stolen, or "pirated" software or other materials. • Sharing or using others' passwords. • Engaging in any activities which change settings or invade, harm, or compromise the school's or others' computers, files, servers, or the campus network. • "Spamming" and posting chain letters are prohibited. Profanity, obscenity, and harassment are prohibited. • Playing games or listening to music is not allowed unless given specific permission or direction to do so by the supervisory teacher. This includes before and after school as well as at lunch or break. • Sending or displaying offensive messages or pictures • Using obscene, profane, vulgar or rude language • Harassing, insulting, threatening or attacking others • Damaging computers, computer peripherals, computer systems or computer networks • Attempting to gain unauthorized access • Violating copyright laws • Using others’ passwords; sharing your password with others • Trespassing in others’ folders, work or files • Intentionally wasting limited resources • Employing the network for commercial or illegal purposes • Loading or downloading software or files on any school computer without permission • Revealing and personal information about yourself or others

MIDDLE SCHOOL COMPUTER ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

Computers and network storage provided for student usage are the property of the Summit School of Ahwatukee. Only usage supportive of educational research and consistent with the objectives and standards of the Summit School of Ahwatukee is allowed. Use of other organizations’ networks or resources must comply with rules appropriate to said networks. Transmission of materials in violation of any United States or state organization or law is prohibited. These materials include, but are not limited to, of copyrighted material, threatening or obscene material, or materials protected by Trade-secret law. All data, information, and materials stored, either school or personal related, on Summit School computers, or networks are considered property of the Summit School of Ahwatukee and can be subject to modification, deletion, or review.

All computers are to be used for educational purposes in a responsible, efficient, ethical and legal manner. The Summit School of Ahwatukee has instituted precautionary measures to provide a safe learning environment. However, if a student is exposed to inappropriate material, the student should immediately seek teacher/adult assistance.

CODE OF COMPUTER ETIQUETTE AND ONLINE CONDUCT

Users are responsible for appropriate behavior while using school computer networks. Any and all policies outlined in the Student Handbook apply.

Acceptable Use • All use of the Internet must be in support of educational and research objectives consistent with the mission and objectives of the Summit School of Ahwatukee. • Proper codes of conduct in electronic communication must be used. In news groups, blogs, Nings, Wikis, etc. giving out personal information is inappropriate. When using these tools, extreme caution

Page 39 of 51 September 2017 must always be taken in revealing any information of a personal nature. • Network accounts are to be used only by the authorized owner of the account for the authorized purpose. • Exhibit exemplary behavior on the network as a representative of your school and community. Be polite!

Unacceptable Use All activity deemed unacceptable, inappropriate or illegal by the Summit School of Ahwatukee is prohibited. Activities detected to be in violation will be forwarded to the Head of School or his/her designee and appropriate action will be taken. Such activity may include, but is not limited to: • Giving out personal information about another person, including home address and phone number, is strictly prohibited. • Users shall not intentionally seek information on, obtain copies of, or modify files or folders, other data, or passwords belonging to other users, or misrepresent other users on the network. • No use of the network shall serve to disrupt the use of the network by others. • Hardware and/or software shall not be destroyed, modified, or abused in any way including: o Modifying single-workstation Control Panel settings or Preferences, spell-checking dictionaries or other utilities. o Installing, or attempting to install, software without express permission from a teacher. o Changing hardware configuration settings for computers or printers. • Malicious use of the network to develop programs that harass other users or infiltrate a computer or computing system and/or damage the software components of a computer or computing system is prohibited. • Hate mail, chain letters, harassment, discriminatory remarks, and other antisocial behaviors are prohibited on the network. • Posting anonymous messages. • Using personal instant messaging services. • Use of the network to access or process pornographic material, inappropriate text files (as determined by the system administrator or technology instructor), or files dangerous to the integrity of the network is prohibited. • The Summit School of Ahwatukee network may not be used for downloading entertainment software or other files not related to the mission and objectives of the Summit School of Ahwatukee for transfer to a user's home computer, personal computer, or other media. This prohibition pertains to freeware, shareware, copyrighted commercial and non-commercial software, and all other forms of software and files not directly related to the instructional and administrative purposes of the Summit School of Ahwatukee. • Downloading, copying, otherwise duplicating, and/or distributing copyrighted materials without the specific written permission of the copyright owner is prohibited, except that duplication and/or distribution of materials for educational purposes is permitted when such duplication and/or distribution would fall within the Fair Use Doctrine of the United States Copyright Law (Title 17, USC). • Use of the network for any unlawful purpose is prohibited. • Use of profanity, obscenity, racist terms, or other language that may be offensive to another user is prohibited. • Establishing network or Internet connections to live communications, including voice and/or video (relay chat), is prohibited unless specifically authorized by a teacher. • Any other activity which may be deemed inappropriate at the discretion of the Summit School of Ahwatukee.

ELECTRONIC MAIL/BLOGGING/NING/WIKIS

Users are expected to remove old messages in a timely fashion, and system administrators reserve the right to remove such messages if not attended to by the user in question.

The passing of chain letters via electronic mail, class or school blogs, Nings, and Wikis, or any other tool utilized by a Summit School faculty member are prohibited.

E-Mail messages, class and school blogs, as well as any may be monitored and inspected by the sponsoring Summit School faculty member to ensure that reasonable standards of etiquette are utilized.

Page 40 of 51 September 2017 MISCELLANEOUS

The Summit School of Ahwatukee does not warrant that the functions of the system will meet any specific requirements you may have, or that it will be error-free or interrupted; nor shall it be liable for any direct or indirect, incidental, or consequential damages sustained or incurred in connection with the use, operation, or inability to use the system.

All parents, guardians, and students agree to indemnify and release the Summit School of Ahwatukee, its faculty, staff, directors, employees and all related organizations from any liability, damages or consequences that may result from the use of the Internet.

ADDENDUM TO THE ACCEPTABLE USE POLICIES FOR NETWORK AND ONLINE SERVICES

For the purposes of this policy, the word “device” will include any desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet, e-reader, or other Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G device, whether school-owned or student-owned.

Summit School of Ahwatukee is committed to the use of technology in the academic program as a tool to expand learning opportunities, encourage innovation and creativity, and conduct scholarly research. All devices are to be used for academic purposes consistent with the educational goals of Summit School of Ahwatukee. Responsibility also accompanies this opportunity. This policy is designed to give students and families clear and concise guidelines regarding the appropriate use of devices, whether school or personally owned. The underlying premise of this policy is that all members of the Summit community must uphold our Lifelong Guidelines and exercise good judgement. The proper use of technology reflects the strength of one’s character, as does one’s behavior. We expect our students to use good judgment and to use technology with integrity. With the continuous improvements and updates to technology, this Addendum to our Acceptable Use Policy may change.

GENERAL PRECAUTIONS 1. Devices must remain free of writing, drawing, stickers, labels, or skins that distract from learning, except those that might identify the owner’s name. Students should choose wallpapers for devices which are consistent with the school’s Lifelong Guidelines. 2. All devices are expected to be fully charged and in good working order at all times. 3. Devices must not be left unattended at any time. This includes lockers, cubbies, courtyard/ramada areas, outside of classrooms, or any unsupervised area. If a device is found to be unattended, it will be turned in to the Front Office for parents to claim. 4. Devices must be in a student’s possession at all times except for lunch and recess. 5. Devices must be transported and carried appropriately on campus. Students are encouraged to purchase protective cases and backpacks or bags for transport. 6. No food or beverages should be in the vicinity of any device. Devices may not be used in the MPR during lunch, at recess, during transition times, or before/after school unless teacher permission is granted. 7. Students should not loan or borrow devices from others. 8. Students should help Summit School protect our computer system/devices by contacting an administrator about any security problems they may encounter. 9. Students are responsible for monitoring all activity on their account(s) and devices. 10. The student is fully responsible, at all times, for the personally-owned device brought to school. Summit School of Ahwatukee is not liable for any loss/damage/theft of a personally-owned device. 11. Parents are fully responsible for monitoring age-appropriate parental controls on their children’s devices brought to school.

USE OF DEVICE AT SCHOOL 1. Students are to bring their device, fully charged, to all classes every day. If the devices will not be used in class, the teacher of that class will determine a safe and appropriate storage location for devices. 2. If a student leaves his device at home, he/she is responsible for completing coursework as if the device was present. There is no guarantee of availability of other devices for students who forget to bring their devices to school or who have failed to charge them.

Page 41 of 51 September 2017 3. Students will not be allowed to call, email, or message home to ask a parent to deliver a forgotten device. 4. Students may not use any device, service, software, website, or application for non-educational purposes during school hours, unless granted permission by school personnel.

SOFTWARE AND APPLICATIONS 1. All installed software and applications must be legally licensed. 2. The downloading of music files, video files, games, and applications through the school’s network is absolutely prohibited unless it is part of an assigned, in-class activity.

NETWORK ACCESS, MANAGING FILES, AND SAVING WORK 1. The school will provide wireless internet access to students. That access will be restricted in compliance with Children’s Internet Protection Act regulations and school policies. Web browsing and device use may be monitored. 2. Students are expected to respect that Google Safe Search and other filters are safety precautions and may not try to circumvent them while browsing the Internet. This includes using web proxy services to work around blocked sites and services. If a site is blocked and a student believes it should not be, he may make a request to a member of the faculty or administration. 3. Summit School of Ahwatukee makes no guarantee that the school wireless network will be up and running 100% of the time. In the event that the network is down, Summit will not be responsible for lost or missing data. 4. Students may not use the school network for personal or private business reasons, including the access of personal e-mail accounts. 5. Students may not use the school network to access files, servers, or network information that is not open to the public. This includes the accounts, files and data of other students, staff, and administration. 6. Students are not to knowingly degrade or disrupt online services or equipment as such activity may considered a crime under state and federal law. This includes tampering with hardware or software, vandalizing data, invoking computer viruses, attempting to gain access to restricted or unauthorized network services, or violating copyright laws. 7. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that work is not lost due to mechanical failure or accidental deletions. Device malfunctions are not an acceptable excuse for not submitting work; therefore, all students should back up work. 8. File sharing (a point-to-point connection between two or more devices for the purposes of sharing data) is prohibited unless required for a specific assignment given by a faculty member. 9. Students are prohibited from using devices and the school network for any acts of cyberbullying, as defined by the Summit School Student Handbook. 10. Any device used on the school network, even if privately owned, is subject to all policies and consequences of the Acceptable Use Policy including the right to view the content of the device at any time and the right to retain the device in the school’s possession at the discretion of the teacher or administrator.

ONLINE COMMUNICATION and EMAIL 1. Blogging and instant messaging are prohibited at school unless as part of an assigned, in-class activity that is supervised by faculty or administration. 2. Social networking (Facebook, Google+, FriendWise, FriendFinder, Yahoo! 360, Orkut, Classmates, and similar services) as well as FaceTime, Skype, Messages, etc. are not to be used at school. 3. Participation in chat rooms and use of message services during school hours is prohibited, except as part of an assigned, in-class activity. 4. Students may be asked to establish an email account to be used for school purposes only. A naming protocol will be given and a specific email provider (such as Gmail) will be specified. This account is the only one that should be accessed via device while on school property and only with permission of faculty or administration. 5. Students are prohibited from using anonymous and/or false communications generated from email, messaging, social networking, or other services, apps, or websites, that allow such forms of communication.

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AUDIO AND VIDEO 1. Audio on devices should be turned off unless specifically required for the activity being conducted. 2. Listening to music either aloud or with earbuds is not permitted during class, unless directed by the teacher. 3. When sound is needed, earbuds must be used. 4. The use of any device to watch movies or videos is not permitted during the school day, unless it is for academic purposes and under direct supervision of faculty or administration. 5. No device, personal or otherwise, may be used to record, store, or transmit any type of image, sound, or video from Summit School, except for approved projects with the express permission of the teacher. 6. Sharing of music, images, or video is strictly prohibited and subject to appropriate consequences. 7. Use, display of, or download of inappropriate media including, but not limited to, weapons, pornographic materials, language, alcohol, drug, gang-related symbols or pictures, are unacceptable and will result in disciplinary action. 8. If reasonable belief exists that the student has violated the terms of this agreement, or other school policy, the student's device may be inspected and/or confiscated. Subsequent or additional disciplinary action involving misuse of technology may apply as determined by the Head of School.

GAMES 1. Games are not permitted while at school except as part of an assigned, in-class activity. 2. No games that are played over the school network are allowed. 3. Games that include violence, adult content, inappropriate language, and weapons may not be installed on any device used on school property.

INTERNET USE 1. The Internet is a rich and valuable source of information for education. Inappropriate materials are available on the Internet, but are strictly prohibited. These materials include but are not limited to items of a sexual or pornographic nature, racist, sexist or homophobic materials, extremist or militant materials, gambling, depictions of violence, images that are intended to be abusive or harassing, etc. Students must not access, display, or store this type of material. 2. Information obtained through the Internet must be properly cited and in compliance with copyright laws. Due to the quickly changing nature of the Internet, a hard copy of referenced material is recommended. 3. Students are required to give proper credit to all Internet sources used in academic assignments, whether quoted or summarized. This includes all forms of media on the Internet, such as graphics, movies, music, and text. 4. Plagiarism includes the use of any information obtained from the Internet that is not properly cited. Plagiarism of Internet resources will be treated in the same manner as any other incidences of plagiarism, as defined by the Summit Student Handbook. Ignorance of the law is not immunity. When in doubt, ask a parent or teacher. 5. If a student accidentally accesses a website that contains obscene, pornographic or otherwise offensive material, he/she is to notify a teacher as quickly as possible so that such sites can be blocked from further access.

PARENT/GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Talk to your children about values and the standards that your children should follow on the use of the Internet just as you do on the use of all media information sources such as television, telephones, movies, and radio. 2. Monitor student use of the Internet while on their home network. 3. Use a device’s setting function to limit or disable specific uses of their students’ devices.

SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Provide Internet access to its students.

Page 43 of 51 September 2017 2. Provide staff guidance to aid students in doing research, use school-approved apps/software, and help assure student compliance of the acceptable use policy and any addendums. 3. Provide instruction and resources to students and parents about online and mobile device safety and expectations.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Use devices in a responsible and ethical manner, in accordance with our Acceptable Use Policy, Student Handbook, and Addendums. 2. Help Summit School protect the network and devices by contacting an administrator about any security problems they may encounter. 3. Monitor all activity on their account(s). 4. Turn off and secure devices after they are finished working to protect their work and information. 5. Print a copy of any email containing inappropriate or abusive language or if the subject matter is questionable, and turn in to a teacher or administrator.

CONSEQUENCES The use of Summit School’s technology resources and network is a privilege, not a right. The privilege of using the technology resources provided by the school is not transferable or extendible by students to people or groups outside the school and terminates when a student is no longer enrolled in the school.

This policy is provided to make all users aware of the responsibilities associated with efficient, ethical, and lawful use of technology resources. If a person violates any of the User Terms and Conditions named in this addendum or to our Acceptable Use Policy, privileges may be terminated, access to the school’s technology resources may be denied, and the appropriate disciplinary action shall be applied. The school reserves the right to determine which uses constitute acceptable use and to limit access to such uses.

Violations may result in disciplinary action up to and including suspension/expulsion for students. When applicable, law enforcement agencies may be involved.

Any other circumstances not covered by these guidelines will be handled on a case-by-case basis with at the discretion of the Head of School.

Electronic Devices Policy Students may not have laser pointers, cameras, recording devices, music or CD players, iPods, electronic games, etc. in their personal possession or locker.

Cell Phone Policy Cellular telephones can be disruptive in an educational environment. We realize that many parents choose to have their child carry a cellular telephone as a means of before and/or after-school communication and for safety purposes. If you, as a parent/guardian have decided that it is necessary for your child to carry a cell phone, we ask that you and your child be aware of the following: • Summit School of Ahwatukee Policy states that the school does not assume responsibility for the loss of, or damage to, personal property. If your child has a cell phone on campus or at any school-sponsored event and it is damaged, lost or stolen, we will not be able to utilize administrative time to investigate the incident, nor will the school be able to take any financial responsibility for the cell phone or cell phone charges. • Cellular phones must be turned off and in backpacks at all times during school hours or given to the home-base teacher for safe keeping throughout the school day. If the cell phone is confiscated, the parent/guardian will be asked to come to the office to pick it up. It will not be released to the student at the end of the day. • Please assist us in keeping our learning environment free from distractions. When it is necessary for a student to contact you during the day, we have telephones available in the classrooms and in the office. If it is necessary for you to get an important message to your child, you may contact the office and our staff will relay the message to your child. Do not leave voicemail or text messages on your child’s cell phone and expect them to receive them during the school day and school-sponsored events.

Page 44 of 51 September 2017 SECURITY

Summit’s security practices are in accord with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Users are expected to respect security as a high priority. If a security problem in any computer, network, or Internet connection is detected, the user must notify a Summit School faculty member of the problem without demonstrating said problem to other users. Users may not let others use their account and password. Attempts to log in to the system using another user’s account will be reported to the administration and appropriate action will be taken.

Vandalism will result in cancellation of privileges. Vandalism is defined as any malicious attempts to harm or destroy data of another member, the Summit School of Ahwatukee, or any of the agencies or networks connected to the Internet. Vandalism may also include the destruction of, or tampering with, any computer or the system network by erasing programs, reconfiguring hard drives or disconnecting from the network. Vandalism as defined herein may include, but is not limited to, the uploading or creation of computer viruses. Vandalism of any kind will be reported to the Head of School or his/her designee and appropriate action will be taken.

STUDENT DRESS CODE

Preschool Dress Code Preschool is an active place and we encourage children to fully participate in every activity inside and outside. For this reason, it is important to send children in appropriate clothing. Many of our art and cooking projects are messy, which is a big part of the fun! Please send your child to school in comfortable clothing, which they don’t have to worry about. A tip for easy dressing in the morning is to give your child two choices the night before school. Let him/her decide which of your two choices the favorite is. Then lay it out so it’s easy to find in the morning. This can alleviate power struggles and the madness of morning rushes.

Other things to keep in mind when selecting clothing are: • Paint Smocks are optional. Some children find them uncomfortable and will choose not to paint if required to wear one. Since painting and creating are such critical components of our program, we never want to discourage young artists and will not force a child to wear one. • Clothing should be washable. While we use “washable” markers and paint-- all are not TRULY washable. Some of the colors will wash out and others, particularly those with red, will leave a faded stain. Resist the urge to send your child in designer clothing on all days except picture and party days. On those days, we promise not to engage in painting and other messy projects! • Shoes must be safe. Please send your child in tennis shoes or rubber soled shoes with a heel strap so that he/she can run and climb safely. Much of the fun at preschool involves movement and we don’t want your child to feel inhibited or unsafe. Flip-flops and sandals that do not have a heel strap on are not allowed. • Remember to label any loose items of clothing such as hats, jackets, sweaters, etc. so we can keep track of your child’s clothing. It is also smart to label lunchboxes, water bottles, and rest time accessories. If you are missing an item, you can check the Lost & Found.

K-8 Student Dress Code All student attire should be neat, clean and in good repair. We ask that parents/guardians purchase clothes for school that promote good citizenship and appropriate responses from others. Therefore, students may wear casual clothing, providing it is clean and modest.

The following items are not acceptable to wear at school: • Shirts, hats, jackets, buttons, etc. displaying obscene or inappropriate printing or advertising of alcohol, drugs, tobacco products, sex, violence, satanic symbols, anarchy, or illegal activity either explicit or implied • Hats may not be worn indoors regardless of gender (Hats may be worn outdoors as long they adhere to the dress code guidelines listed in the student handbook) • Excessively tight, excessively loose, and ripped or torn clothing • Spaghetti straps (Tank tops are okay as long as the strap is at least one inch wide) • Tank tops of any kind regardless of gender should have appropriate fitted arm holes Page 45 of 51 September 2017 • Crop tops and belly shirts (All shirts and tops must cover the belly and back areas) • Halter tops and tube tops • See-through clothing including netted clothing • Undershirts • Short dresses, skirts and shorts (Use the fingertips test; the length should be at least to the point where your fingertips touch when at your side with your shoulders and elbows relaxed and arms straight) • Cut-off t-shirts • Display of undergarments • Flip Flops are not allowed • Heelys are not allowed • High heels, shoes or sandals that are difficult to walk in (All sandals must have a heel strap for safety) • Pajama bottoms • Unnatural hairstyles or hair colors • Body piercing • Tattoos • Costumes are not permitted unless authorized by administration

For safety reasons, all students are required to wear athletic shoes and shorts or pants for P.E. and outdoor play. They must also remove loose jewelry when involved in vigorous activity.

Any final questions of appropriateness of dress or appearance are subject to the discretion of the Head of School.

Preschool General Policies

What to Bring On the First Day of School

• Extra changes of clothing (underwear, top, bottom, and socks) labeled with your child’s name and placed in a zip lock bag. They will be kept in the classroom for accidents or spills. • A special stuffed animal and/or blanket for rest time. We want your child to feel “cozy” and comfortable here at school. We ask that you do not send sleeping bags. Our storage space is limited and we want your child to be as independent as possible when preparing their cot for rest time. The school will provide a sheet for your child’s cot, which will be laundered weekly. We ask that you plan to take your child’s blanket/animal home weekly to launder. Any medical and/or emergency information previously requested. State licensing mandates that no child can be present without an immunization form on file.

Written Communication Each family will have a mail slot on the preschool classroom counters for paper mail. Since Summit is now a “paperless” school, the vast majority of information will be transmitted electronically. Please check your e-mail each Friday for our community updates. Don’t forget to check your child’s cubby for artwork and other oversized items that are to go home.

Getting to Know You Please take time before the beginning of the school year to fill out our Getting to Know You paperwork. Understanding and incorporating the traditions, culture, and diversity of each child’s family into the school community helps to form a supportive environment for the children. We welcome your thoughts and visions in creating a community that is a source of support for all families. Please feel free to speak to your child’s teacher or the preschool director if you have questions, comments or concerns – the doors for communication are always open.

Rest Time Please remember to bring a pillow, blanket, stuffed animal or whatever your child will need to feel cozy and comfortable. We will provide the cot and sheet and will launder sheets each week. We ask that you take all personal items home on Friday to launder.

Bathroom Accidents If your child should have a “potty” accident or otherwise need a change of clothing, we will put the soiled

Page 46 of 51 September 2017 clothing in a zip lock baggie and place it in a plastic container located on top of the cot closet. Please remove these when you pick-up so that you may launder and return the accident clothing for the next day. We do maintain an extra clothing supply and welcome your donations at any time! We always need outgrown or worn-out socks, underwear, t-shirts, shorts, shoes and long pants. Just bring these contributions to the preschool office!

Art We like to do lots of creative, process-oriented art where the focus is on problem solving and the fun that art encourages--not the product. Remember your child has ownership of his/her work and it is important to avoid “evaluating” the creation. Instead, ask your child to tell you about the piece or comment on a particular aspect of the artwork. For example, you could say, “I see you used red and brown paints today.” Or, you could say, “You covered the entire paper. Wow!” Displaying your child’s artwork is important and meaningful.

Siblings For the safety and security of all children at Summit, we ask that you find alternate care for siblings when you come to volunteer in the classroom, at parties and on field trips. These events are a way for your child to feel your connection to their class and make them feel like royalty!

Specials We are pleased to offer five different specials. Your child’s specials are dependent upon the number of days your child attends school and which days. Please refer to your child’s class schedule for specific assignments. Summit specials include: • Art with Ms. Selene Kupper • Tumble Town with Mr. Mike Strauss • Music with Ms. Jennifer Horne • Spanish with Senora Elsa Conti • Library with Ms. Allison Lee

MIDDLE SCHOOL CODE OF CONDUCT

In order to safeguard the rights and well-being of all students, all students are expected to follow these rules. Staff members enforce the rules at school, and we ask that parents/guardians support these expectations both at home and at school.

RESPECT YOURSELF • I will arrive on time and attend school every day that I am able. • I will bring my materials, come prepared to learn, and work to my full potential every day. • I will follow the dress code. • I will be cooperative and contribute in positive ways to the classroom and school community. • I will only turn in school work that is my own. I will not copy the work of others. I will not cheat on tests, either by giving or receiving answers. • I will use the computer, Internet and technology equipment responsibly. • I agree to resolve my anger in a civilized way. I will keep my hands and feet to myself and will not physically assault or endanger another individual.

RESPECT OTHERS • I will treat others with respect. I will speak courteously to teachers, staff, parents/guardians, visitors, and other students. I will not make degrading, racist, sexist, homophobic or humiliating jokes. I will not make unwelcome or offensive sexual remarks, demands, or advances. • I will not tease, name-call, swear, curse, or harass another individual. • I will respect the learning environment by speaking quietly in the classroom and other areas of school. I will avoid creating problems for others and myself. • I will not disrupt learning or teaching.

RESPECT PROPERTY • I will respect school property and not damage objects, buildings, or materials belonging to the school or others. I will throw garbage in a trash can and not in my locker or on school grounds. • I will keep my hands to myself and respect the property of others.

Page 47 of 51 September 2017 • I will take care of my books and the classroom property.

Creating a Positive Learning Environment Students, parents/guardians, and school personnel must share the responsibility for creating the best possible learning and teaching environment. Everyone works to create a supportive environment so that healthy self- esteem and positive relationships flourish. Parents/guardians and teachers work together as partners to instill a sense of responsibility in children. In order to succeed, students must respect their teachers, their classmates and themselves. Character education and good manners are also part of the Summit School curriculum.

Summit School is a community of adults and children. Everyone within the Summit School community is held to a high standard reflective of a civilized and courteous society. Honesty, respect, and compassion are expected at all times; unkind or disrespectful words or actions are unacceptable.

At middle school, every behavior issue, no matter how small or how serious, is a learning opportunity. This is part of helping children grow, mature and make good choices. Teachers are firm and consistent in their treatment of students. Students are guided by their teachers toward acceptable behaviors and are taught to make wise and responsible decisions. We place great emphasis on the development of a healthy community. We teach students to be kind, and we help build the character they need to become happy, productive, and caring adults. Students who learn to reach out and empathize with others, to accept and celebrate the differences among themselves, and to communicate their feelings and resolve conflicts in constructive ways become positive, contributing members of the community.

The following are among the ways in which each member of the Summit School community plays a role.

Student Responsibilities • Behave in accordance with expectations. • Encourage peers to do the same. • Report inappropriate behavior to a teacher or staff member.

Teacher Responsibilities • Create and support an environment conducive to optimal learning. • Model the school’s behavioral expectations. • Establish positive relationships with students and parents/guardians.

Parent/Guardian Responsibilities • Develop open communication with the teachers and staff. • Model the school’s behavioral expectations. • Support the partnership between school and home.

Staff & Administration Responsibilities • Provide a safe environment for all students • Support an optimal learning environment • Encourage positive relationships and communication among faculty, students, and parents/ guardians.

MIDDLE SCHOOL LIFE

Middle School Meeting As a way of building a sense of community, all middle school students participate in Middle School Meeting every Friday afternoon. During this period, students will participate in the following: • Presentations from classes along with announcements, birthdays, book donations, celebrations of recent achievements and accomplishments, Student Council updates, etc. • Outside speakers and presenters, who discuss important topics and relevant issues • Community service project planning and implementation • Small group meetings with teachers

Page 48 of 51 September 2017 Student Council The Summit School Student Council is comprised of representatives from grades 6, 7, and 8. This group of students elects officers each year and meets to plan and oversee important fun activities and community service projects for the student body. These include, Special Friday Lunches, Spirit Day Themes, Ice Cream Fridays and other school-wide leadership efforts including outside community service.

Activities and Events Middle school students enjoy many social activities and fun events throughout the academic year. • Special field trips • Fall and spring evening parties designed to help build social skills and introduce students to party etiquette and dancing • Extracurricular activities such as the Spelling Bee, concerts, Science Night projects, art exhibits, sports teams, and others. • Community service projects • Annual culminating evening events that celebrate learning. Examples include plays, recitations, poetry readings, interactive displays, and exhibits. • Spring Trips- All students in grades 5-8 are invited to participate in overnight learning experiences outside of Phoenix. These trips are chaperoned by teachers. • ROPES (Rite of Passage Experience) – a fourth quarter project for eighth grade students. This is a language arts project that involves learning a new skill, writing a research paper about the topic, and presenting the entire experience to a panel of judges. ROPES is a graduation requirement. • Eighth Grade Graduation that includes special recognition for academic achievement, awards for outstanding achievement, and individual recognition of each student.

Dances Dances are for all students to enjoy; therefore, it is important that the following rules are followed to ensure the safety of all participants. • Summit School dances are for current Summit School students only. Guests are not permitted. • Students must be in attendance at school the day of the dance in order to participate. • Once inside the campus area, students must stay inside. No student may leave unless a parent/guardian comes to collect him or her. • All students must follow school rules with regard to appropriate dress as noted in the Dress Code. • Gum is not permitted. • Close dancing defined as contact between the front or back of student’s bodies is not permitted. During slow dances, a dancer’s hands must be on the waist or shoulders of his or her partner at all times. • Students may not use cell phones or electronics of any kind during dances. If a student needs to call home, a teacher will allow the student to call from a campus phone. • Students who do not follow these guidelines will be asked to leave the dance immediately and to call parents immediately. They may also be prohibited from attending future dances.

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2017-2018 ACTIVITY FEE SCHEDULE For 5th through 8th Grades

Exciting activities and trips are scheduled throughout the year to build community and develop independence. There are associated fees, which are not included in tuition. The following are projections, subject to change and are provided to help you plan ahead. Activities will be billed at time of event and participation in the events is optional but encouraged.

MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENTS (Grades 6th thru 8th) Halloween Dance (October) $10 Winter Activity (December) $10 Spring Dance (April) $10

SPRING TRIPS (Grades 5th thru 8th *Destinations may vary) 5TH Grade Trip: Friendly Pines $ 450 6TH Grade Trip: Pali Institute $ 450 7th Grade Trip: Astro Camp $ 450 Washington, D.C., New York City (Grade 8th) $2,850

6th Grade Students and New 7th & 8th Grade Students: Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Program Please note: Costs will vary depending on family choices. iPad 2 or newer, iOS 7, 16 GB minimum (32 GB recommended) Approx. $500

An Android, iOS, or Windows tablet will be acceptable, as will a Windows, iPad or Apple laptop. Devices will need browsing capability but will not need data plan agreements as students will use our Wi-Fi connections while at school. Students must use the network while at school to ensure compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act.

Rite of Passage Experience (ROPES) Grade 8 Fourth Quarter Right of Passage Experience: Cost vary according to individual

GRADUATION EXPENSES (Grade 8, Due April 1, 2018) Graduation Fee $175 (Includes Cap & Gown, Invitations, Memory DVD, and Graduation Reception.)

Page 50 of 51 September 2017 Summit School of Ahwatukee

2017-2018 Student & Parent Handbook Agreement

I have read the 2017 -2018 Summit School Student & Parent Handbook and reviewed it with my child. We understand and agree to support all of Summit’s rules, procedures, and policies as outlined in the Handbook.

______Parent/Guardian Signature Date

______Student Signature Date

______Print Parent/Guardian Name Print Student Name

______Students Grade Students Homeroom Teacher Name

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